Air travel takes off at Louisville's airport following pandemic

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Air travel is starting to take off again at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, with new flights offered to mark the first real turnaround in travel since the start of the pandemic.

One year ago, travel restrictions were in place and airports all over the country were empty. "In the worst of days, we were seeing 5% of normal traffic," said Anthony Gilmer, director of marketing and air service development for Louisville Regional Airport Authority.

The Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport is now seeing the most travelers since the pandemic.

"March is going to be a significantly different month at the airport from a traffic perspective," Gilmer said.

The airport is offering nonstop flights to new destinations this month to meet demand. "March is going to have about 65% of what we would consider normal capacity. That's almost a 50% jump over what we had in February," he said.

Southwest Airlines' first flight to Fort Myers took off Thursday and will run through April 11. "It's one of our most requested places," Gilmer said.

Allegiant has restarted its seasonal nonstop service to Destin, Fort Walton Beach and Savannah-Hilton Head. American Airlines resumed flights to Washington, D.C.

"Another thing that was just literally announced moments ago, Spirit Airlines has announced service to Pensacola. So, that service will be starting in June," Gilmer said.

The new routes are despite the CDC's and the health department's recommendations to stay home.

The CDC recommends that travelers get a COVID-19 test before and after leaving for a trip and check travel restrictions. At the airport, the CDC wants travelers to keep at least six feet between those they're not traveling with. The airport has markers to help with that, and masks are also required.

Travelers WDRB News spoke to didn't seem worried. "Oh yeah, it's a piece of cake. It's been great," Kyle McClellan said.

It's the beginning of this travel upswing, although the airport said it's too early to tell when business will back to 100 percent.

"But the trajectory that we're on, this summer, especially fall, we could be very close to back to normal here," Gilmer said.