Business View Magazine | December 2020

233 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2020 L INCOLN A I RPORT (SAC) base supporting Boeing B-47 Stratojet bombers, Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter refuelling aircraft, and SM-65 Atlas intercontinental ballistic missiles. In 1966, the U.S. Air Force closed the SAC installation. Fast-forward to 2020: Like so many airports, the COVID-19 pandemic has hit Lincoln Airport hard when it comes to commercial aviation, with as much as a 97 percent decline in travel. It is currently hovering at around 20 percent of pre- pandemic traffic. Delta Airlines has indefinitely suspended its service due to demand. United Airlines is still offering four or five flights per day to both Chicago and Denver, but that still only accounts for less than 50% of total pre pandemic commercial activity. While the reduced activities levels present significant challenges, those challenges are being met through efforts to turn short term impacts into long term gains. In that regard, the Airport is undertaking many projects to both increase capacity and make it a better experience for customers.