Patrick Carreno, who has served as interim director of aviation overseeing Dallas Love Field, Dallas Executive Airport and the Dallas Vertiport, has officially been promoted to director, the city announced Monday.
Carreno, 43, served as interim leader of the airports from Nov. 2022 to July 2023 and before that, assistant director of operations from Dec. 2021 to Nov. 2022. He’s overseen areas such as airport Security, airside operations and landside operations.
“I’m excited to continue what we’ve done in the in the interim period and the airport’s got an exciting future,” Carreno said.
Former director Mark Duebner retired in November after running the city’s aviation programs for 21 years. He later took a job at Dallas-based semi-private jet company JSX.
Carreno comes in at a time with record demand for travel, but restrictions on airlines. Love Field is in negotiations with commercial airlines to renew leases on the 20 gates at the airport while Southwest leadership has openly said the carrier hopes to expand in North Texas.
Carreno said while the airport is restricted for how much it can grow under the Wright Amendment, there’s still a lot of room to improve. The Wright Amendment was a 1979 law passed by Congress that limited flying from Love Field.
“Passenger numbers have gone up substantially,” Carreno said “(Our priorites include) making sure that the facility accommodates the passengers that we’ve added, and then also continuing to be a good neighbor with the community.”
He said Love Field will always be a “desirable” airport, but it’s all about how the airport accommodates that interest. Currently, Love Field has started a terminal area master plan, focused on the next 20 years of the airport, he said.
Love Field recently announced it is testing JetWind Power Corp. “energy pods,” which use the wind generated by jet engines to spin turbines and make electricity, in an exclusive partnership.
Carreno previously worked at Allegheny County Airport Authority, as vice president overseeing airport operations, field maintenance and security departments a Pittsburgh International Airport. He holds a Bachelor’s of science in aviation management from the Florida Institute of Technology and a commercial pilot’s license.