Opinion: Is airport taking a step backward? -- The Eastern Iowa Airport (KCID), Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Updated: 14 September 2013 | 12:01 pm in Letters to the Editor

The Eastern Iowa Airport is undergoing a major change.

In 1964, the Cedar Rapids Fire Department opened a fire station located at the airport. Before that, the specialized equipment was stored in the Iowa Manufacturing Building at the airport. In 1976, Cedar Rapids fire turned the safety back to the airport and it was manned with duel-trained individuals, police and fire. This station always has been manned 24 hour a day. In 1969, the airport had 31 commercial flights per day and in 2000 it hit a record of 1 million passengers through the airport.

After 49 years of 24-hour coverage, they are going to change to 20 hours of coverage per day.

Is the airport going to be locked for these four hours? How many more flights do we have now than we had in 1969? How many more passengers do we have? What happens to the out-of-town person who misses a flight or gets a flight canceled, where does he go for four hours? What happens to an airport closed for the night?

This should be a major concern. With the tensions in the Middle East and after 9/11 and security issues, and other incidents across the nation, why are we reducing our security that is already in place?

Are we not trying to increase our volume of flights, passengers, etc., and have the security for them? This sounds like a step backward.

Cyndy Staton

Cedar Rapids

Original Article: http://thegazette.com