New flights, cities, boost airport passenger traffic

Like several other airports in the region, Sarasota Bradenton International Airport remains on a hot streak in increased passenger counts.

The latest: Passenger traffic at the airport, under the call letters SRQ, rose 33% in March over March 2018, to 197,889 people, according to a statement. That follows 13 straight months of traffic increases, with year-to-date traffic up 36.5%, the release adds.

Passenger traffic is expected to show continued growth through the remainder of 2019, say airport officials. That’s due, in part, to two new carriers, Allegiant Air and Frontier Airlines, and 23 new routes and 18 new destinations. The list of routes and new cities includes Dallas/Ft. Worth, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C.

“We are excited to see all eight of the air carriers serving SRQ adding new destinations, up-gauging the size of their aircraft and adding additional frequency to high demand destinations,” says SRQ President and CEO Rick Piccolo in the statement. “The large increase in air service at SRQ, coupled with new destinations and lower fares, has provided the local community the ability to conveniently utilize their hometown airport for air travel.”