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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Gerald R. Ford Airport
Grand Rapids Gerald R. Ford International Airport (IATA: GRR, ICAO: KGRR, FAA LID: GRR) is a commercial airport in Cascade Township, approximately 13 miles (21 km) southeast of Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. The facility is owned by the Kent County Board of Commissioners and managed by an independent authority. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021 categorized it as a small hub primary commercial service facility.

The facility opened as the Kent County Airport and later became Kent County International Airport. In December 1999, the airport was renamed for Gerald R. Ford, the 40th Vice President and the 38th President of the United States. Ford represented the Grand Rapids area in the United States House of Representatives from 1949 to 1973.

As of July 2023, GRR had flights to 33 airports in the United States. It is the largest commercial airport in the West Michigan region, and the second-largest airport in Michigan after Detroit Metropolitan Airport. GRR covers 3,127 acres (1,265 ha).

History

Grand Rapids' first airport broke ground in November 1919, four miles (6.4 km) south of downtown. This was eight years after the area witnessed its first landing, a Wright biplane at Comstock Park State Fairgrounds on September 10, 1911. The airport was operated by the Kent County Board of Supervisors.

The first scheduled air service in the United States was between Grand Rapids and Dearborn on a Ford-Stout monoplane named Miss Grand Rapids, which started July 26, 1926.

In 1938–39, the Works Progress Administration made improvements including adding new runways, runway widening, fencing, sodding, lighting, remodeling the administration building, and constructing a new restaurant.

Circa 1940, the airport extended between 32nd and 36th Streets, from Jefferson Avenue east to the railroad; the west end was soon expanded south to just north of Himes Street and in the 1950s runway 18/36 was extended to 5700’ and reached south to 44th Street.

In 1959, the county began construction on the present airport in Cascade Township, several miles east of the first airport. The new airport opened November 23, 1963, and was dedicated June 6, 1964; it had a 6,600-foot (2,000 m) runway designated 08/26 and a 3,400-foot (1,000 m) designated 18/36. The first scheduled jet was a United Airlines Boeing 737-200 on April 28, 1968, from Chicago O'Hare. The aircraft, N9003U, was named City of Grand Rapids. In 1968, the only scheduled non-stops beyond Michigan were to Chicago and Green Bay.

On January 27, 1977, the Board of Commissioners renamed Kent County Airport as Kent County International Airport with the opening of a U.S. Customs Service Office in the main terminal building.

Tribute room for President Gerald Ford

In 1997, the board added the 8,500-foot (2,600 m) runway 17/35 to allow continued operations during a $32 million reconstruction of runway 8R/26L, completed in 2001. It completed a passenger terminal renovation in 2000 at a cost of approximately $50 million.

In 2004, the airport served more than 2 million passengers for the first time in a year. In 2010, it broke the 2004 record with almost 2.2 million passengers, as increase of over 23% from 2009.

On January 2, 2007, a U.S. Air Force Boeing VC-25 jet carried the remains of former president Gerald Ford to his namesake airport as part of funeral services culminating in burial at his presidential museum in Grand Rapids the next day.

From April 2010 through October 2011, the airport was a focus city for Allegiant Air.

Air Canada operated the airport's only international flights to Toronto Pearson International Airport from July 2008 until September 2013. It was the airline's second attempt at service between the two markets.

Delta Air Lines operates Boeing 757-200s seasonally between Grand Rapids and Atlanta during the winter, making it the largest aircraft to serve GRR.

Allegiant Air announced in mid-January 2019 that they would be making the airport one of Allegiant's 16 focus cities once again. After dropping GRR as a focus city in 2011, Allegiant is upgrading GRR again to a focus city adding Nashville, Tennessee, and Savannah-Hilton Head, Georgia, as new routes. Allegiant would later add other new destinations such as Los Angeles, Boston, and Newark.

In 2013 the airport began building a natural treatment system to improve stormwater management practices and safeguard the waters of the Thornapple River. The new, innovative system will include a biological treatment system that will improve collection of stormwater runoff and naturally remove sediments and pollutants before sending the water to the Thornapple River, which flows just east of the airfield.

The airport eliminated the two separate security checkpoints in each concourse and created one consolidated checkpoint in the grand hall area to help traffic flow much faster and to be prepared for future growth. In addition, the grand hall area and the entrance area to the airport was renovated with more shopping and dining options. Work began in late 2015 and completed in June 2017.

The airport began construction of a roof over the parking deck in March 2015 to increase close-in, covered, long-term parking. The roof covers most of the fourth floor, though some spaces on the fourth and third floors remain uncovered due to airfield sight-line requirements for the FAA control tower. The garage roof was completed in November 2015 and will allow use of the fourth floor spaces during heavy snow.

In 2016, the airport partnered with the Cascade Community Foundation on plans to renovate the current outdoor viewing area to make it a larger, more inviting place for people to relax. The renovated park opened in May 2017.

In November 2018 the airport began the phase II of the Gateway Transformation Project, reconstructing the baggage claim, check-in, and front of house areas. It has completed the apron reconstruction, adding new pavement to the apron and taxiway areas.

Facilities

Gerald R. Ford International Airport has two parallel east-west runways and one north-south runway. Along with cargo and general aviation facilities, the airport has a passenger terminal with two concourses: A has 15 gates and B has eight. Runways 08R/26L and runway 17/35 have ILS. The airport also has a 5,000-foot (1,500 m) general aviation runway north of the main 08R/26L runway.

In September 2017, the airport celebrated the opening of phase one of their Gateway Transformation, a 59,000 square foot addition onto the passenger terminal facility that included a consolidated passenger security screening checkpoint, a new Marketplace with expanded retail and food & beverage offerings, new business centers and lounges, and much more. Concourse A's tenants are Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and United Airlines. Southwest Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, Frontier Airlines and Allegiant Air occupy Concourse B. All gates have climate-controlled jetways.

The airport is served by Signature Flight Support, which operates an FBO on the field. Besides fuel, the facility provides general maintenance, aircraft parking, courtesy and rental cars, conference rooms, pilot supplies, a crew lounge, snooze rooms, and more.

When new baggage screening regulations were introduced by the Transportation Security Administration in 2002, the airport was the first in the nation to conduct trials on the new screening machines. The baggage processing areas were too small for the machines so they were placed in the passenger lobby.

The airport is also home to the West Michigan Aviation Academy, a public charter high school that focuses on aviation, STEM, and robotics educations. The school offers a fleet of Cessna 172 aircraft for flight training, allows students to build a Carbon Cub EX2 plane, and has a Redbird LD flight simulator.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

AirlinesDestinationsRefs
Allegiant AirAustin, Boston, Destin/Fort Walton Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville (FL) (resumes May 23, 2025), Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach (resumes May 22, 2025), Nashville, Orlando/Sanford, Phoenix/Mesa, Punta Gorda (FL), Sarasota, St. Petersburg/Clearwater, West Palm Beach
Seasonal: Los Angeles, Newark, Portland (OR), Savannah
American AirlinesCharlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth
Seasonal: Chicago–O'Hare, Miami, Phoenix–Sky Harbor
American EagleCharlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, Philadelphia, Washington–National
Seasonal: Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, New York–LaGuardia
Delta Air LinesAtlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul
Delta ConnectionDetroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York–LaGuardia
Frontier AirlinesOrlando
Seasonal: Denver, Fort Myers, Tampa
Southwest AirlinesBaltimore, Chicago–Midway, Denver, Las Vegas, Orlando
Seasonal: Fort Myers, Nashville, Tampa
Sun Country AirlinesSeasonal: Minneapolis/St. Paul
United AirlinesChicago–O'Hare, Denver
United ExpressChicago–O'Hare, Houston–Intercontinental, Newark

Cargo

AirlinesDestinations
FedEx ExpressBoston, Indianapolis, Memphis
FedEx FeederPellston, Sault Ste. Marie (MI), Traverse City
UPS AirlinesMinneapolis/St. Paul

Statistics

Top Domestic Destinations

Top ten busiest domestic routes out of GRR
(October 2023 – September 2024)
Rank City Passengers Carriers
1 Chicago–O’Hare, Illinois 246,000 American, United
2 Atlanta, Georgia 218,000 Delta, Frontier
3 Denver, Colorado 192,000 Frontier, Southwest, United
4 Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota 142,000 Delta, Sun Country
5 Charlotte, North Carolina 137,000 American
6 Detroit, Michigan 133,000 Delta
7 Chicago–Midway, Illinois 132,000 Southwest
8 Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas 131,000 American, Frontier
9 New York-LaGuardia, New York 72,000 American, Delta
10 Orlando, Florida 63,000 Frontier, Southwest

Airline market share

Largest airlines at GRR
(October 2023 – September 2024)
Rank Airline Passengers Share
1 Delta Airlines 819,000 20.09%
2 Allegiant Air 655,000 16.07%
3 American Airlines 619,000 15.18%
4 Southwest Airlines 513,000 12.57%
5 United Airlines 392,000 9.62%

Annual traffic

Annual passenger traffic at GRR airport. See Wikidata query.
Annual passenger traffic (enplaned + deplaned) at GRR, 2003-present
Year Passengers Year Passengers Year Passengers
2003 1,976,833 2012 2,134,956 2021 2,927,962
2004 2,150,125 2013 2,237,979 2022 3,468,156
2005 2,090,505 2014 2,335,105 2023 3,794,915
2006 2,015,846 2015 2,550,193 2024 -
2007 1,990,896 2016 2,653,630 2025 -
2008 1,809,445 2017 2,811,622 2026 -
2009 1,771,465 2018 3,263,234 2027 -
2010 2,185,924 2019 3,587,767 2028 -
2011 2,275,332 2020 1,758,741 2029 -

Ground transportation

The airport is at the intersection of 44th Street and Patterson Avenue. It abuts I-96 on the east, M-6 on the south, M-37 on the west, and M-11 on the north.

Metro Cab and Metro Cars provides taxi and luxury sedan service and the airport is served by Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz/Dollar, and National/Alamo rental car companies on-site.

Rapid route 27, Airport Industrial, travels between the airport and Woodland Mall (Kentwood Station) on weekdays between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. From Woodland Mall, passengers can continue on to downtown or parts of the east side of Grand Rapids via routes 5 and 6, or across town to Grandville and Wyoming on routes 24, 28, and 44.

Planned development

In late August 2019, the airport made an announcement about its next focus, Project Elevate. This phase of airport development, consisting of three major projects, includes a $90 million expansion and extension of Concourse A to encompass 8 more gates, a $50 million relocation and construction of a new air traffic control tower as well as a $25 million federal inspection station to facilitate departures and arrivals of direct international flights. As of summer, 2024, the concourse A expansion is mostly complete with some of the new tenants open including only the second airport Freddy's (also the only ones with a breakfast menu) in an airport and some other yet-to-open spaces including a Firehouse Subs and a Priority Pass club lounge.

Project Elevate expanded with some additional projects that include a $156 million rental car facility and additional parking in a new ramp that was announced in 2023 and is expected to be completed by late 2025. And in April 2024, it was announced there would also be an $135 million Terminal Enhancement Project included as well expected to be completed by 2027

Accidents and incidents

  • On May 9, 2008, a Cessna 208 Caravan operating for Federal Express by CSA Air crashed just north of Grand Rapids. The pilot was not injured and there were no injuries on the ground.
  • On September 6, 2010, a Cessna 210 Centurion that departed from Grand Rapids made an emergency landing in a field due to an engine failure. The aircraft was on a training flight at the time of impact. The probable cause of the accident was found to be a fatigue failure of the crankshaft due to the loss of engine case through-bold torque. Both occupants were uninjured.
  • On October 29, 2012, a Delta Air Lines McDonnell Douglas MD-88 diverted to the airport after an engine issue. The engine was shut off and the plane with 95 passengers was able to land safely.
  • On January 9, 2022, a private aircraft returned to the airport due to a landing gear problem. It landed safely back at the airport.
  • On July 8, 2022, an American Airlines flight en route from Chicago to Buffalo, New York diverted to Grand Rapids due to smoke in the cockpit. The plane landed safely and there were no injuries.
  • On December 16, 2022, a Delta Air Lines Airbus A320 departing Grand Rapids for Minneapolis–Saint Paul returned shortly after takeoff following an engine failure. The aircraft landed safely and the 147 passengers and crew were uninjured.
  • On December 9, 2023, a small white and black Cessna Citation experienced an engine malfunction and safely returned to the airport.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Gerald R. Ford International Airport Activity Dec 2023" (PDF).
  2. ^ FAA Airport Form 5010 for GRR PDF, effective November 28, 2024.
  3. ^ "Boards Commissions & Committees". Kent County Administration. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  4. ^ "List of NPIAS Airports" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. October 21, 2016. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  5. ^ "Gerald R. Ford Airport Nonstop Routes". Gerald R. Ford Airport. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  6. ^ "GRR airport data at skyvector.com". skyvector.com. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  7. ^ "Master Plan Update Documentation". Gerald R. Ford International Airport. Archived from the original on October 19, 2018. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  8. ^ "History and Statistics". Gerald R. Ford International Airport. Archived from the original on June 17, 2016. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
  9. ^ "History & Statistics". Gerald R. Ford International Airport. Archived from the original on November 30, 2009. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
  10. ^ Hill, Malcolm L. (July 2002). Boeing 737. The Crowood Press. pp. 52–53. ISBN 978-1861264046.
  11. ^ "Gerald R. Ford International Airport – Grand Rapids, Michigan". Gerald R. Ford International Airport. 2011. Archived from the original on December 15, 2009. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  12. ^ "Allegiant To Open New Grand Rapids Base with Service to Myrtle Beach". AirlinesAndDestinations. February 2, 2010. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  13. ^ King, Kyla (September 21, 2010). "Allegiant Air adds direct flights from Grand Rapids to Punta Gorda, Florida". The Grand Rapids Press.
  14. ^ Reister, Cami (August 12, 2011). "Allegiant Airlines to close its Grand Rapids base, reduce destinations". The Grand Rapids Press. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  15. ^ McMillin, Zane (August 21, 2013). "Gerald R. Ford International Airport loses its only direct international flights". The Grand Rapids Press. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  16. ^ Kreitz, Andrew (March 16, 2015). "Delta cuts flights at Ford Airport, but will fly bigger planes to Detroit". The Grand Rapids Press.
  17. ^ "Allegiant to add base at Ford Airport, create 66 jobs". January 15, 2019.
  18. ^ "Ford Airport Announces Plan To Enhance Stormwater Management, Protect Thornapple River" (PDF) (Press release). Gerald R. Ford International Airport. March 28, 2013.
  19. ^ O'Brien, Jesse (June 27, 2017). "Ford airport consolidates security checkpoints". Grand Rapids Business Journal. Archived from the original on August 11, 2017. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  20. ^ "New roof on Ford Airport parking garage adds winter parking". WOOD-TV News. November 25, 2015. Archived from the original on August 11, 2017. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  21. ^ "New Ford Airport Viewing Park from the Cascade Community Foundation". WOOD-TV News. November 21, 2014. Archived from the original on July 1, 2015. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  22. ^ Carlson, Kate (May 31, 2017). "Viewing park expansion unveiled at Grand Rapids airport". The Grand Rapids Press. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  23. ^ "Gerald R. Ford International Airport Begins Gateway Transformation Project – Phase II" (PDF). November 5, 2018.
  24. ^ Gates (Map). Gerald R. Ford International Airport. Archived from the original on November 26, 2011. Retrieved December 1, 2011.
  25. ^ "Expanded Ford Airport concourse welcomes travelers". June 16, 2023.
  26. ^ "Signature Flight Support". FlightAware. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  27. ^ Terminal Map (Map). Gerald R. Ford International Airport. Archived from the original on December 4, 2011. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
  28. ^ "Overview". West Michigan Aviation Academy. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  29. ^ "Allegiant offering nonstop flights from JAX to Akron-Canton, des Moines, Grand Rapids". November 19, 2024.
  30. ^ "Allegiant Air to add 3 new routes from Myrtle Beach International Airport". November 19, 2024.
  31. ^ "Route Map". Allegiant Air. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  32. ^ Gerardi, Joey (November 17, 2020). "Allegiant Adds Service to Orange County, Calif. and Grand Rapids, Mich". AirlineGeeks.com.
  33. ^ "Flight schedules and notifications". Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  34. ^ "Flight Schedules". Delta Airlines. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  35. ^ smartinez@mlive.com, Shandra Martinez (July 18, 2017). "Frontier Airlines to fly out of Grand Rapids again". mlive.
  36. ^ "FLIGHTS FROM GRAND RAPIDS (GRR)". Frontier Airlines. September 17, 2023.
  37. ^ "Sun Country Airlines Expands with 11 New Destinations, Including Two in Canada".
  38. ^ "Find flight deals from Grand Rapids". United Airlines. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  39. ^ "Grand Rapids, MI: Gerald R. Ford International (GRR)". U.S. Department of Transportation - Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  40. ^ "Grand Rapids, CO: Gerald R Ford International Airport (GRR)". Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  41. ^ "GFIA Statistics". Gerald R. Ford International Airport. Archived from the original on November 30, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  42. ^ "Measures of Michigan Air Carrier Demand". Michigan Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on July 31, 2019. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
  43. ^ "Grand Rapids airport breaks annual record with 3.5M passengers". Mlive. January 23, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  44. ^ "Tenant Directory".
  45. ^ "Airport Industrial".
  46. ^ "Authority Board Announces $90 Million Expansion of Concourse A" (PDF). August 28, 2019.
  47. ^ "Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers Opens Second Airport Location". Yahoo. June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  48. ^ "Work begins on $156M Ford airport rental car building". WOODTV. May 31, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  49. ^ "Ford International Airport Breaks Ground on $135 Million Terminal Enhancement Project". GRR. June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  50. ^ "Small plane by FedEx contractor crashes in Michigan". NBC 5 Action News. May 10, 2008. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  51. ^ "N4632A accident description". Plane Crash Map. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  52. ^ "Gerald R. Ford International Airport (KGRR), Grand Rapids, Michigan: Delta Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-88, N987DL, Flight DL-1734 - Engine Problem". Kathryn's Report. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  53. ^ "Plane makes emergency landing in GR after staff notice landing gear not working properly". ABC 13 On Your Side. January 9, 2022. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  54. ^ "Plane makes emergency landing in Grand Rapids for possible smoke in cockpit". MLive. July 9, 2022. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  55. ^ "Delta flight returns to Grand Rapids airport after engine trouble over Lake Michigan". MLive. December 16, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
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