Dallas' director of aviation to retire this week
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – He's overseen Love Field Airport through some turbulent times.
Dallas' Director of Aviation Mark Duebner will retire this week, and he shared with CBS 11 the successes and challenges of his tenure.
"We would like to believe, and I would like to believe, that Love Field really is a community airport," he said.
It's a community and an airport that have seen tremendous growth since Duebner took over as director of aviation in 2011.
"It really has been an amazing transformation," he said.
He said he knew the full repeal of the Wright Amendment would be a game changer. That allowed airlines to fly from Love Field to any city in the country, instead of only Texas and four neighboring states.
"We knew we had the 2014 day we were going to grow like gangbusters," he said. "I think everyone was amazed at how quickly we grew. It was way beyond any projections."
Traffic at Love Field has since doubled. And with Southwest Airlines' success, Duebner says he does believe the Love Field-based airline will expand to DFW Airport in 2025, when another provision of the Wright Amendment expires.
"They do need to grow, and I think the city understands that and will be supportive of Southwest and whatever business decisions they make," he said.
Deubner also led through high-profile incidents such as this summer's shooting by a police officer of a woman who fired a gun in the airport, as well as record low air travel during the pandemic. He also oversaw the addition of a new terminal and parking garage, and the reconstruction of a runway.
"And then everything we've done to try to really improve the look of Love Field being the front door for the city and the surrounding community, really making Love Field a jewel for the city of Dallas."
Deubner's last day with Love Field is Tuesday. He says he's not ready to announce what's next for him but teases that he'll be staying in aviation and that he won't be going far.
A spokesperson for the city of Dallas says an interim director of aviation will likely be announced mid-week.