The Fort Collins-Loveland, Colo., Airport will receive a $221,500 grant from the U.S. Dept. of Transportation to develop a program that will allow travelers checking in there to change planes at Denver International Airport without undergoing further security screening.

The airport was selected as one of 29 other airports out of 70 total applicants competing for funding made available through the Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASDP).  The money is targeted specifically to develop the “wingless flight program,” as well as enhance the airport’s ability to understand current area transportation needs and promote the commercial air transportation potential for future airport business and leisure travelers.

The “wingless flight program” is the Fort Collins-Loveland Airport’s pioneering effort to expand options for travelers in Northern Colorado.  This program is designed to allow ticketing, check-in, and security screening at the Fort Collins – Loveland Airport for connecting services out of DIA. The program includes reduced environmental impacts, traveler convenience and reduced capital investment potential for DIA. The wingless flight model may eventually provide transferability to other airports throughout the nation, providing both travelers and airlines opportunities for market growth and reduced environmental impacts.  

“The commercial aviation aspect of the grant focuses on how our airport can enhance the growth potential of area air business travel, as well as enhance our existing leisure air travel markets,” said Fort Collins-Loveland Airport Director Jason Licon.  “The grant funding will be used for the establishment of a strategic communications-marketing strategy targeted to build corporate buy-in by the major employers in the service area.  

“In addition to the growth of the non-leisure travel, the grant money will be used to help determine how the airport can better market the Northern Colorado region to develop air service reciprocity with our existing leisure air carrier routes. This will encourage a paradigm shift by bringing in tourism dollars from Nevada and Arizona travelers, as well as future destinations where the current trend is an outward flow,” Licon said.