Airline-run FBO meets some out-of-the-ordinary standards

When flying into Cincinnati, pilots have a choice of two main airports: Lunken Municipal Airport (LUK), located on the north shore of the Ohio River and wi

By Kim Rosenlof

March 28, 2007

When flying into Cincinnati, pilots have a choice of two main airports: Lunken Municipal Airport (LUK), located on the north shore of the Ohio River and within the
city boundaries of Cincinnati, and Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), located in Covington, Ky., about 15 miles from downtown. Lunken, long known as Cincinnati’s business aviation airport, is served by myriad FBOs, aircraft charter companies and maintenance facilities. However, CVG has only Delta AirElite Business Jets/Jet Center.

As its name implies, Delta AirElite is wholly owned by the Atlanta-based airline (it acquired the entity when it bought regional airline Comair in January 2000). CVG is the airline’s second-largest hub behind Atlanta. Delta nearly dominates CVG operations, so it seems fitting that the only FBO on the field would also belong to Delta. Cincinnati-based Comair had purchased CVG-based FBO ServiceAir in 1981 to provide maintenance and line services for its growing fleet of regional jets, a role that the FBO still serves today for its new Delta masters. Although the FBO has maintained its monopoly for at least 20 years, Delta AirElite Jet Center manager Wynn Poe said his team cannot treat customers as if the FBO is the only kid on the block.

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