Carl Beardsley, executive director at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, on Thursday reported on increased passenger flow.
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PITTSTON TWP. — Carl Beardsley, Executive Director at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, on Thursday told the Bi-County Airport Board that he had “lots of good news” to report — and then he did just that.
Beardsley said airport boardings were up 24.8% in February, seat available increased by 21.7%, and load factors for the airlines were up by two percentage points.
“We’re definitely seeing a trend here,” Beardsley said. “And I also want to report a big number — Breeze Airlines is already reporting a 91% load factor.”
After a long absence, direct flights from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport to Orlando, Florida, resumed on Tuesday, Jan. 30. The airport had not offered direct flights to Florida since Allegiant Air left in December 2017.
In other business, the board:
• Heard from John Slotterback, Supervisory PPQ Officer with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, who commended the airport for its Lantern Fly Program. Slotterback presented certificates of appreciation to Beardsley to be distributed to various airport department.
• Thanked four members of the Airport Ambassadors team for their dedicated volunteer service to help customers:
— Ed Handel, Exeter, 6,150 hours.
— John Bergen, Pittston Township, 5,125 hours.
— Bette Lou Brundage, Moscow, 2,100 hours.
— Rita Skechus, Duryea, 2,050 hours.
Eric McKitish, the airport’s Director of Marketing and Air Service Development, said all four started as Ambassadors when the program was founded on May 25, 2006.
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.