June air traffic at new airport up 200%

[Kurt]

Airport Traffic up almost 200% Over Last Year, Despite Oil Crisis

In a recent airport authority board meeting, Airport Director reported to the board that traffic at the new Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport was up almost 200% over the traffic at the old Panama City airport during June of 2009. This is great news as traffic is higher than anticipated and surely a shot in the arm to our local economy and shot over the bow of airport nay-sayers.



Outbound traffic June 2010 totaled over 40,000 passengers with well over half using Southwest Airlines. Total traffic, both inbound and outbound totaled over 80,000 in June, nearly tripling the numbers from June of 2009. These numbers best the total traffic numbers of both the Northwest Florida Regional Airport in Ft. Walton AND the Tallahassee Regional Airport.


The 2010 revenue is, at this point, projected to be over $8 million. This number is nearly double the number from 2009, which was just over $4 million. Of course, with increased revenue, the plane load percentages have been up as well with Southwest ringing in at an average 81% occupied per plane and Delta at average 78% occupied per plane.


The daily average offering of seats at the new facility is over 1,800 seats compared to Ft. Walton?s 1,500 seats and Tallahassee?s 1,300 seats. This time last year, the old airport in Panama City only offered a measly 500 seats.


All in all, despite the oil crisis and speculation from new airport opposition, just one month into operations, the new airport is performing better than anticipated and easily out-pacing old numbers and quickly out-pacing the numbers of its competition.

 

[Koa]

That sounds like good news if you think more people = more money for the local economy. Hopes and predictions by airport authority were that in the first few years after the opening of ECP, the airport traffic would remain constant with 2009 numbers. Instead, they are double.

 

[Will B]

I'd like to see where they got their info. I have visibility of seat numbers. There are 1702 daily seats out of PC on both airlines. That number has been inflated in the report. Additionally, the numbers for Ft Walton are inflated, too, by almost 300 seats.

I have some nifty resources here at the big D, and I can't find any passenger boarding info, anywhere, that backs up the claims being made.

Now, I'm going to split hairs.
Air traffic and passenger traffic are two different beasts and are tracked separately. For them to say that air traffic is up 200% is a huge "no $%#* Sherlock" statement. They added a whole other airline with 8 daily flights which doubled the air traffic. DUH!
I'm sure that passenger traffic is up as Southwest opened new markets.

They really should have given details instead of painting it in really broad strokes.

 

[Kurt]

I suppose the real measure will be whether more tax money, or money from St. Joe has to be paid in. But no matter the actual numbers, it does sound like pretty good news for airport proponents thus far.

 

[beachmouse]

I'd also be curious to hear inbound numbers and outbound numbers. Is it more a case of more people headed into PCB, or more people who live in PCB taking advantage of newly affordable airfares, or is it relatively balanced?

Because St. Joe in the end probably wants to see more inbound traffic than outbound to get the most bang for their subsidy buck.

 

[BeachSteelers]

Airport Traffic up almost 200% Over Last Year, Despite Oil Crisis

By the way who designed this Airport. I could've designed something better in 10 mins on a napkin. Had the designers ever been to an Airport before? Truely as someone who flies every week I think it sucks. Too many issues with it but i now fly out of Ft Walton.
Love the lack of landscaping too. Lack of seating, lack of foresight. It certainly doesn't lack advertising space.

 

[scooterbug44]

Quasi dumb question - wouldn't the number of inbound and outbound be the same since folks who fly in or out then tend to fly back out or in? Or is it an origination stat?

 

[Will B]

Quasi dumb question - wouldn't the number of inbound and outbound be the same since folks who fly in or out then tend to fly back out or in? Or is it an origination stat?

A one way ticket is a guaranteed full body cavity search by the TSA!

 

[scooterbug44]

I do it all the time!

Of course, I buy 2 one-way tickets. ;-)