Reno–Tahoe International Airport Explained

Reno–Tahoe International Airport
Image2-Width:250
Iata:RNO
Icao:KRNO
Faa:RNO
Type:Public/Military
Owner-Oper:Reno–Tahoe Airport Authority
City-Served:Reno, Nevada
Location:Reno, Nevada
Elevation-F:4,415
Elevation-M:1,346
Coordinates:39.4992°N -119.7681°W
Image Mapsize:150
Image Map Caption:FAA diagram
Mapframe:yes
R1-Number:17R/35L
R1-Length-F:11,001
R1-Surface:Concrete
R2-Number:17L/35R
R2-Length-F:9,000
R2-Surface:Concrete
R3-Number:07/25
R3-Length-F:6,102
R3-Surface:Concrete
Stat-Year:2023
Stat1-Header:Aircraft operations
Stat1-Data:107,096 (2022)
Stat2-Header:Passengers
Stat2-Data:4,573,384
Footnotes:Sources: FAA[1] [2]

Reno–Tahoe International Airport is a public and military airport 3miles southeast of downtown Reno, in Washoe County, Nevada, United States.[3] It is the state's second busiest commercial airport after Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. The Nevada Air National Guard has the 152nd Airlift Wing southwest of the airport's main terminal. The airport is named after both the City of Reno, Nevada and Lake Tahoe.[4] The airspace of Reno-Tahoe Airport is controlled by the Northern California TRACON and Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center.[5]

History

Early years

The airport was built in 1929 by Boeing Transport Inc. and named Hubbard Field after Boeing Air Transport VP and air transport pioneer Eddie Hubbard.[6] It was acquired by United Airlines in 1936 and purchased by the City of Reno in 1953. The August 1953 OAG shows 15 scheduled departures each weekday; ten years later there were 28.

Jets (United 727s) arrived in June 1964; runway 16 (now 17R) was extended southward from 7800 to 9000 feet around that time. The airport didn't rate a nonstop to Los Angeles until 1969; a nonstop to Chicago began in 1970.

The first terminal building was completed in time for the 1960 Winter Olympics held in Squaw Valley, California in 1960. The present ticketing lobby and concourses were built in 1979.[7] The airport received its current name in 1994 (which honors both the city and the nearby popular tourist destination Lake Tahoe), when the terminal was named in honor of retired Air Force Reserve Major General and former U.S. Senator Howard Cannon.[8] Prior to that the airport itself was named Cannon International Airport.

Reno–Tahoe International was the hub of Reno Air, a now-defunct airline that had MD-80s and MD-90s to many cities until it was bought by American Airlines and later disposed of, in 2001. Reno Air's first flight was on July 1, 1992, and its last flight was August 30, 1999. On New Year's Eve of 2003, Continental Airlines completed the installation of self check-in in the continental United States at Reno International.[9]

Expansion

In 1996, the baggage claim and ticketing area were updated with technology and decor. In 2008, the airport began a $70 million project that enhanced the baggage screening equipment and remodeled the ticketing area with a modern Tahoe theme; the project was entirely completed in 2010. In March 2013, a $24 million expansion of the airport was completed and focused on a new centralized TSA Security Checkpoint on the ground level, and above it, a shopping and dining promenade called "High Mountain Marketplace". Windows in the dining areas allow views of the mountains and runways. Future projects may include updates to the concourses.[10]

International service

In February 2014, the airport announced that Volaris planned to start operating non-stop service flights to Guadalajara, Mexico sometime in 2015. Since the DOT approved the route, it is Reno's first international non-stop service since 1999. On October 7, 2014, the DOT and the airport announced that Volaris would start a twice weekly flight to Guadalajara, Mexico from Reno on December 16, 2014.[11]

In November 2014, Thomas Cook Airlines announced that it planned to introduce twice weekly, non-stop flights from London–Gatwick to Reno starting in December 2015. It would have been the first transatlantic route from Reno Airport.[12] However, Thomas Cook Airlines canceled these plans in May 2015 stating insufficient border control capacities at the airport to handle their Airbus A330.[13] [14] Finally, in September 2019, Thomas Cook went into compulsory liquidation.

Facilities

Overview

Reno–Tahoe International Airport covers 1450acres at an elevation of 4415feet. In the year ending June 30, 2019, the airport had 104,239 aircraft operations, with an average of 285 per day: 46% airline, 41% general aviation, 11% air taxi, and 2% military. At that time, 161 aircraft were based here: 104 single-engine, 19 multi-engine, 23 jet, 9 military, and 6 helicopter.[15] The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems categorized it as a primary commercial service airport (more than 10,000 enplanements per year).[16]

It has three concrete runways: 17R/35L is 11001feetby150feetft (byft); 17L/35R is 9000feetby150feetft (byft); 8/26 is 6102feetby150feetft (byft).[17] During September through November 2010, the airport opened a new 200feet ATCT to replace the 70feet control tower that had been used for more than 50 years. It was designed by the Parsons Design Firm, which is responsible for the design of many other ATCT towers. The cost of the new tower was about 30 million dollars.

The passenger terminal is named after the late US Senator Howard Cannon.[18] The lobby of the terminal has an exhibit with the bust of Nevada State Senator (and Nevada State Senate Minority Leader) William J. "Bill" Raggio. Raggio is described in the exhibit as being "The Father of the Airport Authority."

Military facilities

The airport is also host to Reno Air National Guard Base, an approximately 60acres complex, which was established on the west side of the airport in 1954, when Air National Guard units relocated from the former Stead Air Force Base in Reno.

The base is home to the 152d Airlift Wing (152 AW), a Nevada Air National Guard unit operationally gained by the Air Mobility Command (AMC) and equipped with C-130H Hercules aircraft.

Terminals

Reno–Tahoe International Airport provides two concourses designated B and C with an overall 23 jet bridge gates.

Airlines and destinations

Cargo

Statistics

Top destinations

BTS
Transtats">Web site: Reno–Tahoe, NV: Reno–Tahoe International (RNO) . . December 22, 2023 .
RankCityPassengersCarriers
1Las Vegas, Nevada492,000Allegiant, Southwest, Spirit
2Denver, Colorado315,000Southwest, United
3Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Arizona252,000American, Southwest
4Los Angeles, California203,000Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, United
5Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas176,000American
6Salt Lake City, Utah119,000Delta
6Seattle/Tacoma, Washington119,000Alaska
8San Francisco, California104,000United
9San Diego, California78,000Southwest
10Long Beach, California75,000Southwest

Airline market share

BTS
Transtats"/>
RankAirlinePassengersShare
1Southwest Airlines1,904,00043.91%
2American Airlines610,00014.08%
3United Airlines459,00010.58%
4SkyWest Airlines456,00010.52%
5Delta Air Lines200,0004.60%
Other Airlines707,00016.30%

Annual traffic

Annual passenger traffic
(enplaned + deplaned) at RNO[19]
YearPassengersChangeYearPassengersChange
20065,000,66320163,650,8306.3%
20075,044,0870.87%20174,015,30510.0%
20084,434,63812.08%20184,210,0954.8%
20093,755,93515.30%20194,450,6735.7%
20103,822,4851.8%20202,006,42054.9%
20113,754,1551.8%20213,623,45880.6%
20123,479,1227.3%20224,310,95819.0%
20133,431,9861.4%20234,573,3846.1%
20143,298,9153.9%
20153,432,6573.9%

Ground transportation

Car rental

The airport provides access to nine different rental car agencies with rental car pick up available right outside the terminal building. All nine rental car counters are located in the baggage claim. After completing the rental agreement inside, vehicles may be collected from the parking structure located just outside the baggage claim.

Taxis and limousines

The passenger waiting area for taxis and limousines is located outside of the D Doors located north of the baggage claim.

Bus

Public transportation to/from the airport is available via RTC Ride bus:

Shuttles

Complimentary hotel shuttles stop along the curb, outside the D Doors located north of the baggage claim, to pick up passengers.

Accidents and incidents

Sound levels

Sound levels have been analyzed for over two decades at this airport, with one of the first studies being a comprehensive production of aircraft sound level contour maps.[24] Later analysis was conducted to analyze sound levels at Kate Smith School and provide retrofitting to reduce sound levels through a Federal Aviation Administration grant.[25]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. . Federal Aviation Administration. effective January 25, 2024.
  2. Web site: RNO Airport Authority Page. renoairport.com. February 1, 2024.
  3. retired. 863928 . Cannon International Airport . May 3, 2009.
  4. Web site: Reno-Tahoe International Airport Profile | CAPA.
  5. Web site: AirNav: KRNO - Reno/Tahoe International Airport.
  6. Web site: William Boeing and Eddie Hubbard make first U.S. delivery of international airmail on March 3, 1919.. www.historylink.org.
  7. Web site: 2007–08 budget of the Reno–Tahoe Airport Authority (RTAA). nsla.nevadaculture.org. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140831002503/http://nsla.nevadaculture.org/statepubs/epubs/31428002983563-2007-2008.pdf. August 31, 2014. mdy-all.
  8. Web site: Airport Fact Sheet ., Reno/Tahoe International Airport
  9. News: Continental Airlines Self-Check-In Kiosk Network Expanded to All Domestic U.S. Airports. 22 March 2017. PR Newswire. Continental Airlines. 8 January 2004.
  10. Web site: Hidalgo . Jason . April 6, 2022 . 'Vastly undersized' Reno airport to expand, upgrade aging infrastructure . 2022-04-08 . Reno Gazette Journal . en-US.
  11. Web site: 10-07-2014 – New International Service to Guadalajara Pending Customs Approval. Reno-Tahoe International Airport. October 7, 2014.
  12. Web site: Thomas Cook Airlines to Launch London Gatwick – Reno Service starting December 2015. airlineroute.net.
  13. News: 2018-03-25. Nonstop Reno-London flights scrapped. Reno Gazette Journal.
  14. Web site: 05-07-2015 - London Flight on Thomas Cook is Cancelled. www.renoairport.com. May 8, 2015.
  15. Web site: RNO airport data at skyvector.com. skyvector.com. August 30, 2022.
  16. Web site: 2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A . PDF, 2.03 MB . National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems . Federal Aviation Administration . October 4, 2010.
  17. Web site: Burrows . Kim . 2022-12-01 . Reno's airport makes changes to runways due to earth's magnetic fields shifting . 2022-12-03 . KRNV . en.
  18. Web site: Reno/Tahoe International Airport Information - HotelsByCity.net. hotelsbycity.net. December 27, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20090212004809/http://hotelsbycity.net/flights/airports/RNO/. February 12, 2009. dead.
  19. Web site: Annual Airport Data for RNO. renoairport.com. July 29, 2024.
  20. Web site: Terror charges filed in plot to blow up Islamic Center.
  21. Web site: Accident description for N9417B at Aviation Safety Network. aviationsafetynetwork.org. July 29, 2024.
  22. News: Scott . Sonner . FAA official resigns after sleeping controllers . . Washington, D.C. . April 14, 2011 . April 14, 2011 .
  23. News: Hidalgo . Jason . FAA two-controller-at-night policy in Reno changed shortly after it was put in place . . Reno, Nevada . April 13, 2011 . April 14, 2011 .
  24. Vegelatos, Reno Cannon International Airport Contour Maps, prepared for the Reno Cannon International Airport (1985)
  25. C.Michael Hogan and Ballard George, Aircraft Sound Insulation Study for the Kate Smith School, Sparks, Earth Metrics, prepared for the FAA, January 8, 1988