Passenger traffic could grow to 2.7 million in 2020 at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport
Until its recent growth spurt, Sarasota Bradenton International Airport had limped along, serving about 1.1 million passengers a year while offering about 10 destinations.
This year, the airport is on track to serve 1.9 million passengers, while offering nearly 40 destinations. The passenger load could easily grow to 2.7 million in calendar year 2020, Rick Piccolo, airport CEO and president, told members of the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority on Monday afternoon.
You might think Piccolo would be ready to take a victory lap and retire after 25 years at the helm of SRQ.
Not so. Plenty of work remains to meet the challenges of growth, and Piccolo seems in fighting form and eager to tackle the challenges.
On Monday, the airport rewarded Piccolo with a three-year extension of his contract and an 8 percent pay raise. When the board last approved a contract for Piccolo three years ago, his annual salary was $297,612 a year.
Three years ago, the airport authority was focused on the need to retain the airlines that it had, and counted on Piccolo to negotiate contact extensions with legacy carriers such as Delta, American, United, and JetBlue.
Not only did Piccolo retain the legacy carriers, he also welcomed the arrival of low-cost carriers, including Allegiant and Frontier, which ignited the boom in passenger traffic at SRQ. With the boost that the new carriers gave SRQ, it is now ranked the second fastest growing airport in the country.
“I’m pretty confident that we will see more airlines introduced,” Piccolo said of the next few years.
At the same time, he wants to maintain the hallmarks for which SRQ is known — cleanliness and convenience — in the face of growing passenger traffic. The increased business has created new challenges in the terminal operating capacity, staffing and readiness.
In 2020, the airport will spend $2 million on parking expansion. In addition, SRQ is working to double its fuel storage to properly serve all the additional flights.
The ramped-up passenger traffic will also require SRQ to look at adding facilities, traffic and communications staff, Piccolo said.
In the works are plans for upgrading security checkpoint layout and the baggage handling system.
Monday, the airport authority elected Kristin Incrocci, owner at SRQ Aviation / Lift Air Charter, as its new chair.
“I think the growth is inevitable, and we have a plan for it,” Incrocci said after Monday’s meeting.
The board also elected John T. Stafford vice chair, and Doug Holder secretary.
In addition to the passenger operations, SRQ has a thriving commercial sector that contributes to the bottom line, and helps keep the airport debt-free. Residents of the Bradenton and Sarasota area pay nothing in property taxes to support airport operations.
Among the industrial development challenges are completion of $4.5 million roadway, sewer, water and utility infrastructure and, $7.5 million in drainage improvements for the airport’s north quadrant in 2020
