CVG officials outline $600 million passenger upgrade and defend flight procedures after resident noise complaints

Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport officials told the Delhi Township Board of Trustees on Feb. 26 that passenger and cargo operations have recovered or expanded since the pandemic and that major construction and noise‑management work will continue for years — news that prompted residents to press the airport for clearer communication about nighttime and low‑altitude flights.

Seth Cutter, vice president of public affairs for CVG Airport, said the airport “we're pleased to share that by the end of last year, 2024, we've recovered 100% of the passenger, volume at CBG,” and described cargo and tenant growth that he said supports regional jobs and investment. Cutter said the airport employs about 16,000 badge holders across the campus and cited a 2022 economic study that placed annual regional economic impact at about $9.3 billion.

The presentation and public commentary focused on noise and flight patterns. Cutter outlined recent runway rehabilitation and a multi‑year passenger‑facility investment called Elevate CVG: “we're embarking on this program called Elevate CVG that will invest probably about $600,000,000 in upgrading the passenger, facilities over the course of the next 5 years.” He said last year’s two major runway projects — one closed for several weeks in June–July and the center runway closed roughly July through December — affected normal traffic patterns and likely contributed to noise reports.

Cutter said the airport has updated noise resources and maps on its website and has increased stakeholder outreach through the aviation noise abatement committee (ANAC), on which Delhi has representatives. He said recent filings to the Federal Aviation Administration included updates for nighttime runway use and updated noise exposure maps but that the FAA had not yet approved those updates.

“We actually decreased about 50% our complaints ... So there were a 87 complaints last year, and we had about a 60,000 aircraft operations,” Cutter said, and pointed attendees to the airport’s near‑real‑time flight‑tracking tool at cbgairport.com/noise to research individual flights.

Resident Scott Beck told trustees the volume and intensity of noise has grown and that complaint responses feel formulaic. “the past 2 years have been in my opinion have gotten out of control and I'm not sure the numbers really support,” Beck said, adding that some flights have shaken his house and woken family members.

Trustees pressed Cutter on whether the airport can limit nighttime operations. Cutter said the airport and airlines must follow FAA procedures and that the airport cannot unilaterally restrict runway use: “the airport just can't change unilaterally the procedures that have been in place.” He repeated that federal funding and FAA rules limit local control over runway hours but said ANAC and community outreach are the primary mechanisms for community feedback.

Trustee Rusty (last name on file as Davis) acknowledged the improvements and investments at CVG while saying more frequent and responsive outreach would help residents: “I'm gonna be the first one to say we might need to see you more than once every 4 or 5 years.” Cutter and trustees agreed to keep communication channels open and to point residents to flight‑tracking and complaint tools. Cutter urged residents to continue reporting incidents so the airport can document the magnitude of community concerns.

The trustees did not take formal action on airport operations or noise during the meeting. The airport presentation also noted airport‑area development and tenant projects, including substantial cargo hangar investments by DHL and other businesses on the CVG campus.

For residents, Cutter repeated steps to monitor and report perceived incidents (flight‑tracking tools, noise complaint filing) and emphasized that the airport will continue outreach through ANAC, real‑time tracking and updates to its noise information pages. He also said some shifts in complaints reflect seasonality (more complaints in warmer months when windows are open) and temporary operational changes caused by runway rehabilitation.

Delhi Township officials and resident advocates asked the airport for clearer complaint follow‑up and for more frequent in‑person briefings; Cutter said the airport would take that feedback to FAA and operational partners and that the airport’s outreach materials and relocation guide are available on the airport website.

The trustees asked staff to consider a public information session with CVG representatives and to make airport noise‑reporting resources easier to find on the township website. The discussion closed without votes or ordinance changes.

The airport’s planned passenger‑facility upgrades and ongoing runway work are scheduled to continue over the next five years, and Cutter said residents should expect construction‑related impacts as the Elevate CVG program proceeds.