Facility records highest count ever for that month
Another month concluded, another record for the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ).
In April, 451,036 passengers traveled through the airport, compared to the April 2022 count of 386,013, the airport has announced. The figure for April of this year marks not only a 17% increase, a news release says, but it also represents the highest number of passengers for that month in SRQ’s history.
Over the 12 months through April, SRQ served 4,113,442 passengers, the release adds. That number is up 9%, compared to the tally of 3,776,825 passengers for the 12 months through April 2022.
For the first four months of this calendar year, the release points out, SRQ realized an 18% climb in passenger traffic, compared to the the same period of 2022.
The month-over-month uptick for April was even higher than the increase for March of this year, compared to the March 2022 passenger count. SRQ served 514,889 passengers in March, which broke a record, too, the airport staff noted at the time. That total marked a 16% increase, compared to the figure for March 2022.
In January, airport staff announced that the facility in 2022 set a new annual record for passengers: 3,847,606.
“We continue to see strong growth in the number of flights, destinations, and passengers using SRQ,” airport President and CEO Frederick “Rick” Piccolo said in the latest new release. “With our peak travel months behind us,” he continued, “we are now focused on completing several multimillion-dollar construction projects to better accommodate increased demand. These projects include a new cell phone waiting lot, additional paved parking areas, new ground transportation pick-up area, new baggage screening system, and a new five-gate terminal expansion.”
Piccolo further noted, “These various projects are expected to be completed by the end of 2024 … [They] will substantially increase capacity at the airport, allowing airlines to add more flights while providing passengers the service and amenities they are accustomed to when traveling through SRQ.”
The May airport update also pointed out that new service to Providence, R.I. (PVD), will begin on July 2, thanks to Breeze Airways.