CLEVELAND — Change is on the horizon at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, and its new leader Bryant Francis will oversee all of it.
“Cleveland has a lot to offer; it has a lot of promise,” Francis said.
The newly hired Director of Port of Control now leads operations at both Hopkins and Burke Lakefront Airports, coming to the land with over 25 years of experience. Prior to Cleveland, Francis was the Director of Aviation for the Port of Oakland, California.
“What I would hope is that with the things I learned along the way, I would be able to implement some of those things to elevate the experience and operation of the Cleveland airport system," Francis said.
Francis’ arrival comes at a time of transition for the city. Hopkins will soon undergo a $2 billion, 20-year master plan to upgrade the terminals, roadways and parking.
Francis said the plan is in the final stages of FAA approval, and major construction will start in 2025.
“I want this airport to look its best, and I want it to provide more and better services,” Francis said. “I want the footprint to be expanded in terms of our reach with nonstop service; I want the level of technology to be raised.”
Meantime, the city is also debating the future of Burke Airport, recently acquiring the services of a consulting firm to determine the airport’s economic benefit versus the potential of closing it and developing the land and lakefront property.
News 5 asked Francis to weigh in on his thoughts about closing Burke.
“I’m not going to weigh in on that; I know there’s a lot of work happening behind the scenes through third parties,” Francis said. “What I would expect is to be an integral part of those discussions that I believe will take place at the balance of the year and figuring out what is best, the pros and cons and weighing it all out."
Just this year, Hopkins added a nonstop international flight to Ireland, as well as a flight to Puerto Rico; Francis said he hopes to build on that momentum.
“Over time, we want the airport to be easy to get to, easy to get through and make it easier for people to get to all of the places they’re looking to travel, whether it be domestic or international, we’re doing the work behind the scenes," Francis said.
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