Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport

Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport[note 1] (IATA: MFR[2], ICAO: KMFR, FAA LID: MFR) is a public-use airport three miles north of downtown Medford, in Jackson County, Oregon, United States.[1] Owned and operated by Jackson County's Aviation Authority, the airport serves southwest Oregon. Originally named Medford–Jackson County Airport, it was renamed to Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport after it became an international airport in 1994.[3][4]

Rogue Valley International Medford-Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerJackson County Airport Authority
ServesRogue Valley
Elevation AMSL1,335 ft / 407 m
Coordinates42°22′27″N 122°52′25″W / 42.37417°N 122.87361°W / 42.37417; -122.87361
Website[1]
Map
MFR is located in Oregon
MFR
MFR
Location of airport in Oregon / United States
MFR is located in the United States
MFR
MFR
MFR (the United States)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
14/32 8,800 2,682 Asphalt
Statistics (2020)
Aircraft operations41,563
Based aircraft201
FAA diagram

In December 2018, the airport celebrated its 1 million+ annual passenger milestone. In doing so Medford joined both PDX and EUG as the only Oregon airports to have surpassed 1 million passengers in a year.[5] By virtue of annual commercial passengers, Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport is the third busiest airport in Oregon with 1,010,920 passenger enplanements and deplanements in 2018 (behind Eugene and Portland).[6][7] The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a primary commercial service airport (more than 10,000 enplanements per year).[8]

Facilities edit

The airport covers 938 acres (380 ha) at an elevation of 1,335 feet (407 m). Its runway, 14/32, is 8,800 by 150 feet (2,682 x 46 m) asphalt.[1][9]

The airport underwent renovations which included a new 110,000 sq ft (10,000 m2) terminal building with room for expansion; work completed in 2009 and designed by CSHQA and the Abell Architectural Group Inc.[10] The new terminal has an observation deck on the second floor, a restaurant for screened and unscreened passengers, and second-story loading bridges. Now that the terminal is complete, there is a main concourse, and two open air concourses. A new control tower was completed in late 2008; the $3.6 million, 100-foot-tall (30 m) tower uses a state-of-the-art geothermal system to heat and cool the building.[11]

Two fixed-base operators (FBOs) provide general aviation services on the field: Jet Center MFR, and Million Air (which recently completed its new three-story corporate terminal).

In the year ending December 31, 2020, the airport had 41,563 aircraft operations, average 114 per day: 59% general aviation, 22% airline, 16% air taxi, and less than 1% military.[12] 201 aircraft at the time were based at the airport: 139 single-engine, 25 multi-engine, 22 jet, 15 helicopter, and 5 glider.[1]

The Medford airport continues to post favorable passenger statistics; following monthly gains in 2019 the facility served 1,087,873 arriving and departing passengers (increase of 7.6% over 2018 statistic).

Airline service present and past edit

Alaska Airlines offers nonstops to Portland and Seattle/Tacoma. Nonstops to Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco, flown by SkyWest Airlines operating as United Express, use Bombardier CRJ200 and Embraer 175 regional jets as well as the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737-900 for select San Francisco, LAX, and Denver flights. Delta Connection, operated by Skywest Airlines, flies nonstop to Salt Lake City and Seattle/Tacoma with the Embraer 175. Allegiant Air flies nonstop to Las Vegas and Los Angeles, and seasonally to Phoenix/Mesa, using the Airbus A319.

Medford was served by United Airlines Boeing 727-200s and 737-200s, by Hughes Airwest (formerly Air West) Douglas DC-9-10s and DC-9-30s, by Pacific Express BAC One-Elevens, and by Pacific Southwest Airlines BAe 146-200s. The PSA service was continued by USAir (later renamed US Airways) after it acquired PSA. USAir later ended service to Medford though US Airways Express did serve Medford later with regional jets. The predecessor of Air West and Hughes Airwest, West Coast Airlines, served the airport in the 1960s with Douglas DC-9s and Fairchild F-27s. West Coast merged with Pacific Air Lines and Bonanza Air Lines to form Air West. In the late 1980s and early 1990s United Express operated as NPA, West Air and Mesa flying British Aerospace Jetstreams (19 seat turboprops) directly to both Portland and Seattle. Continental Airlines also served MFR in the late 1980s with MD-82 aircraft. Aha Airlines offered service between Medford and Reno, NV between October 2021 and August 2022 when it declared bankruptcy.[13]

Airlines and destinations edit

 
Rogue Valley International—Medford Airport terminal, c. 2009

Passenger edit

AirlinesDestinations
Alaska Airlines Portland (OR), Seattle/Tacoma
Seasonal: Los Angeles
Allegiant Air Las Vegas, Orange County
Seasonal: Phoenix/Mesa, San Diego
American Eagle Phoenix–Sky Harbor
Avelo Airlines Burbank
Delta Connection Salt Lake City, Seattle/Tacoma
United Airlines Denver, San Francisco
United Express Denver, San Francisco

Cargo edit

AirlinesDestinations
Ameriflight Klamath Falls, Portland (OR), Roseburg
FedEx Feeder Portland (OR)

Statistics edit

Top destinations edit

Top domestic routes out of MFR
(September 2022 - August 2023)
[14]
Rank City Passengers Carriers
1 Seattle/Tacoma, Washington 147,000 Alaska, Delta
2 Denver, Colorado 80,000 United
3 San Francisco, California 64,000 United
4 Salt Lake City, Utah 46,000 Delta
5 Phoenix-Sky Harbor, Arizona 41,000 American
6 Los Angeles, California 26,000 Alaska
7 Las Vegas, Nevada 24,000 Allegiant
8 Portland, Oregon 21,000 Alaska
9 Burbank, California 13,000 Avelo
10 Orange County, California 8,000 Allegiant

Airline market share edit

Largest airlines at MFR
(September 2022 - August 2023)
[15]
Rank Airline Passengers Share
1 SkyWest 434,000 45.63%
2 Horizon 221,000 23.24%
3 United 179,000 18.84%
3 Allegiant 86,000 8.98%
5 Avelo 25,000 2.63%
6 Other 6,000 0.68%

Accidents and incidents edit

On January 7, 2008, a US Airways Express jet arriving from Las Vegas struck and killed a coyote. No passenger injuries occurred, and possibly no passenger noticed the collision.[16]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d FAA Airport Form 5010 for MFR PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective September 8, 2022.
  2. ^ "IATA Airport Code Search (MFR: Medford / Jackson County)". International Air Transport Association. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  3. ^ "The History of Aviation in Rogue Valley". Jackson County Airport Authority. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  4. ^ Mann, Damian (19 July 2004). "Trade Zone may go dormant". MailTribune.com. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  5. ^ "StackPath". 4 January 2019.
  6. ^ "Rogue Valley International Airport Dec 18 Pass Flow". Rogue Valley International Airport. Rogue Valley International Airport.
  7. ^ "Enplanements for CY 2011" (PDF, 1.7 MB). faa.gov. Federal Aviation Administration. October 9, 2012.
  8. ^ "2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A" (PDF, 2.03 MB). faa.gov. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2010.
  9. ^ "MFR airport data at skyvector.com". skyvector.com. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  10. ^ "Medford airport opens new, $35M terminal - USATODAY.com". USA Today.
  11. ^ Damian Mann. "Funds secured for airport tower". MailTribune.com.
  12. ^ FAA. "Facility Dashboard - MFR". Retrieved 1 Dec 2021.
  13. ^ "Aha Airlines flights grounded by bankruptcy".
  14. ^ Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). "Medford, OR: Rogue Valley International (MFR) Scheduled Services except Freight/Mail". Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  15. ^ "Medford, OR: Rogue Valley International - Medford (MFR)". Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  16. ^ "Jet hits coyote at Oregon airport; coyote dies". The Seattle Times. January 8, 2008. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011.

Notes edit

  1. ^ The airport retains "international" status, though the U.S. Customs Office closed in 2003 .

External links edit