Erie Airport Sets Another Record

Jan. 6--Erie International Airport officials knew 2005 was going to be a good year. Their only question was, how good.

That answer came Thursday when airport officials reported 187,848 passengers boarded planes in Erie in 2005 -- 6.1 percent more than the previous passenger traffic record the airport set in 2004.

The 6.1 percent increase posted in 2005 comes on top of a 26.2 percent increase in passenger traffic in 2004.

"Back-to-back record years ... you don't get better than that," said Michael Boyd, a nationally known aviation consultant from Evergreen, Colo., who has worked with local airport officials on air-service issues.

"Nationally, the industry was up about 5 percent, so this is significantly ahead of the national average," Boyd said.

But while local airport officials were celebrating Thursday, they said the airport is not about to stop here.

"What is really exciting is that as good as this appears, we still think there is ample room for growth," airport Executive Director Kelly Fredericks said.

Consultants in the past have told the airport it should have the market potential to ultimately board about 250,000 passengers a year, but officials know building passenger traffic in 2006 will be a challenge.

"This is going to be a turnaround year for the airlines," Boyd said.

Two of the airport's four airlines -- Northwest and Delta Air Lines -- are currently in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and the dominant airline in the market -- US Airways -- is consolidating with America West Airlines after their September merger.

Erie International is starting 2006 with about 150 fewer airline seats a day than it had starting 2005.

US Airways pulled one flight to Charlotte, N.C., and one flight to Philadelphia in 2005, and Northwest pulled one flight to Detroit as part of systemwide reductions in capacity.

Fredericks said the airport would like to see US Airways restore service to its Charlotte hub, and is still pursuing flights to one of the airports in the New York City market.

Meanwhile in 2005, US Airways remained the dominant carrier in Erie, carrying 42.3 percent of all passengers who boarded planes here.

Northwest Airlink had a 28.8 percent market share, while Delta Connection had an 18.8 percent market share, and Continental Connection had 9.6 percent of the market.

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