As SRQ Keeps Setting Passenger Records, Here's What's Planned to Handle the Growth

Oct. 19—With each passing month since August and through the end of 2021, Sarasota Bradenton International Airport will continue to set a new annual record for the number of passengers traveling through its terminal.

In August, the airport smashed the old record of 2,010,304 set in 1990.

Through the end of September, SRQ reports that the number of passengers for the year had grown to 2,219,303.

In September, 188,816 passengers passed through SRQ — 185% more than the covid-impacted level of 66,249 passengers in 2020 and 51% higher than the pre-covid level of 125,361 that same month in 2019.

On Monday, Mark Stuckey, chief operating officer for Sarasota Bradenton International, briefed members of the Manatee County Tourist Development Council on what the airport is doing to stay ahead of the rapid growth.

Until a few years ago, the airport served about 1.1 million passengers a year and offered only 10 destinations.

Now, the airport now has 10 airlines and serves 50 destinations, putting pressure on existing facilities.

In response, the airport is in the process of expanding its fuel storage farm from 80,000 gallons just a few years ago to 400,000 gallons, eliminating the need for daily resupply by fuel trucks, Stuckey said.

In addition, the airport has ramp expansion and layout projects underway to handle 90 commercial service operations a day.

Four security checkpoints have been expanded to five and a design is underway for a sixth, Stuckey said.

A three-level consolidated rental car facility is also in design for return, servicing and fueling of rental cars, he said. Construction is expected to begin in 2022.

Also planned is a $40 million consolidated baggage system. Design is expected to be completed in January.

Airport officials are in talks with other carriers to serve SRQ and the addition of five new planned ground boarding gates will open up space for them, Stuckey said.

Hopefully within 18 months, those new ground boarding gates will be constructed and ready for use, he said.

At the same time, the airport, which operates on user fees, and the lease of airport property, has remained debt-free and becomes even more attractive to airlines by being able to spread costs to a wider base of users

Meanwhile, new food options also are being added to serve the traveling public, including a doughnut and coffee shop and a sandwich shop, and potentially a sit-down restaurant as well, to be located in new "bump outs" along the concourse, Stuckey said.

Ed Chiles, a member of the tourism board, said he hopes SRQ becomes more involved with intermodal transportation via a proposed water taxi that could take airline passengers directly to Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key.

"I can't think of anything more exciting than to have a green way to get out of the airport," Chiles said.

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