SARASOTA, Fla. — While it might be small, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport is booming with passengers. As the area grows, so does the need for flights.
Sarasota-Bradenton has experienced major growth this last year.
“It’s been a good year, good last 12 months -- up double digits every month since last May, almost 41 percent in April, 38 percent for the calendar year,” said Rick Piccolo, the airport CEO.
He adds the number of cities served jumped from 10 to 29 this year, and more are planned for the fall and winter.
That means that about 200,000 more passengers, like Mary Palmer chose to use SRQ over larger airports like TIA that are an hour away.
“By the time you rent a car and Uber it’s easier to come here,” Palmer said. Plus, she likes the size of the airport.
“I like it’s small," she said. "You don’t have to take a shuttle from one gate to another. I want the convenience.”
Piccolo believes the airport’s growth mirrors the influx of folks moving into Sarasota and Manatee counties.
“Over the last five years, the population in the two counties is up 20,000 a year … it’s a small city every year. The last five years, 3,500 new hotel rooms don’t sound like a lot, but that’s 1 million room nights,” Piccolo explained.
Piccolo calls SRQ a boutique airport.
“TIA is your Publix with lots of choices. St. Pete and Punta Gorda are your Save-a-Lot -- low prices and low inventory. We’re like Whole Foods,” Piccolo explained.
The airport has undergone massive remodeling and upgrades in the last five years.
“Everything is new we’re in good shape physically and financially,” he said.
Piccolo also says with the addition of airlines such as Allegiant, Frontier and Jet Blue, other airlines are becoming more competitive with their ticket pricing. And airlines like American are adding more flight in the fall.
A Connecticut couple owns a home on Longboat Key and prefers flying out of SRQ even if it costs more for them and their dog Missy.
“It’s like flying out of your own personal airport,” said John Holzner. “It’s convenient 15 minutes to the house. Quaint, peaceful, easy to get through, wonderful!
The airport added a new control tower, freeing up land that the airport leases out and is developing to draw in revenue and maintain the airport debt-free. Piccolo says this, too, helps keep the cost down for passengers.
What other people are reading right now:
- Woman gets 15 years for posing as sheriff, releasing boyfriend from jail
- Russian hackers accessed 2 Florida voting databases, DeSantis says
- 'Carol Burnett Show' star Tim Conway dead at 85
- E.coli outbreak linked to ground beef: 196 sickened in 10 states
- Video shows healthcare staff punching, beating man with disabilities with belt
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10News app now.
Have a news tip? Email desk@wtsp.com, or visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.