on what is to come for the airport and ensuring unparalleled customer service, Cox is determined to offer its passengers everything they need when they touch down. “I have been a pilot for 22 years,” Cox begins.“I have also been running the airport for 24 years and my favorite thing about running the airport is the people you meet.” While these words aptly describe the love and dedication that Cox has for Big Sandy Regional Airport, they also hold an extra special significance. At the heart of Cox’s aviation business model is the firm belief that it is the people that fly in that bring the airport such vitality and these people are always given a friendly and personalized landing every time by Cox and his team. “Literally because of a restaurant on the field, we get a lot of people coming from Florida, the Michigan area, and then people traveling north and people traveling sound who stop here,” Cox describes. “They can get fuel, a meal, and then head on their way. We get a lot of transient business which provides the opportunity to meet people from all over the county and that is the most satisfying part of my job,” he adds. Although old enough to retire and enjoy the simple life, Cox admits that he would miss the airport too much and this is the reason that he remains committed to its continued growth and success while always offering a first-in-class passenger service for anyone walking through the terminal doors. “I could have retired five years ago if I wanted to, but I enjoy the airport, and it is just such a wonderful way to meet people.” Emphasizing that aviation is very much a people’s business, Cox equates the aviation community to those that one would find in a lakeside community. “Aviation is just like the people you meet on the lake. You rarely ever meet a person you don’t like in aviation. I have been here 24 years and I have only had to have words with one person,” he elaborates. 165 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 03 BIG SANDY REGIONAL AIRPORT
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