Local airport continues flying high with another record-shattering month in the books

The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport's passenger totals in July were up 424% from the same time last year. In order to keep up, the airport is adding checkpoints and parking spaces.

By Business Observer Staff
| 3:46 p.m. August 17, 2021
| 2 Free Articles Remaining!

File. Following another record breaking month at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, the airport's President and CEO Rick Piccolo says they've been busy making improvements to ensure passengers have a quality experience.

Manatee-Sarasota

SARASOTA — The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport continues its flight toward a record year in passenger traffic, setting a monthly mark in July with more than 326,000 arrivals and departures.

In total, 326,947 passengers used the airport throughout the month of July. That number is 122% more than the pre-COVID-19 numbers for July of 147,068 passengers. Last month's numbers were 424% higher than July 2020's passenger number of 62,405. Additionally, the July traffic was 4.5% higher than June’s.

The airport's record month was first reported on by the Sarasota Observer, sister paper of the Business Observer.

“It is exciting to see us break another all-time record for the most passengers carried in a month at SRQ,” says Rick Piccolo, president and CEO of the airport. “With the rapid growth of passenger traffic at our airport, we continue to make improvements to ensure our passengers receive the best experience possible while traveling. In April, we expanded our checkpoint from four to five lanes and a sixth screening lane is expected to be added before Thanksgiving.”

Over the next decade, the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority intends to add more commercial, hotel and office space to the property it owns in north Sarasota, particularly on land along University Parkway.

Piccolo added that the airport recently tripled its jet fuel tank capacity with the addition of two 100,000 gallon tanks and expanded long-term parking by 140 spaces. Plans are moving ahead to pave the airport’s overflow lot and add another lot for the peak season.