Toledo Express Airport looks to expand car rentals

An unusual phenomenon is taking hold at the Toledo Express Airport. While the hub has seen a drop in the number of flights, car rental reservations have actually increased in the past several months and as such, local port authorities are considering a major expansion of existing car hire facilities. In fact, local officials have already paid out $74,000 to a local construction management company to spearhead the expansion project.

Yet the expansion comes at a strange time, as several airlines have decided to cutback service and capacity on existing routes from the airport. Port officials, however, believe that building a consolidated car hire facility will stand to benefit the airport and its clients in the long-run. The new facility is expected to cost approximately $2.76 million. Some of these construction costs, however, are being covered by current rental clients who are required to pay a $3 per day facility tax on all reservations. The airport, however, has also had to take up a loan from the Ohio State Infrastructure Bank.

The problem for the airport, however, continues to be the continued decline in the number of flights and overall capacity. Most of the carriers serving the airport have actually cut capacity rather dramatically. The number flights and seats available has dropped by nearly 50 percent over the course of the past four years. Additional service cutbacks are also anticipated for the fall. Yet the airport director points to a rise in local business, even if the number of visitors has fallen.