On Tuesday, May 28, Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTIA) released new passenger stats and other data that showed a very positive continuing trend: An impressive rise in the number of people traveling to and from PTIA. The same set of numbers also showed extremely impressive growth in cargo flights in and out of the airport.
According to the new numbers provided by the airport, in April 2019, the number of passengers using PTIA increased 22 percent over April of last year. For the first four months of 2019 – the year to date numbers, that is – the passenger numbers increased by 18 percent.
For decades, PTIA has been largely overlooked by many travelers in central North Carolina who tended to choose Raleigh-Durham International Airport or Charlotte Douglas International Airport to fly in and out of – however, now, more and more are apparently considering PTIA as a real option. PTIA has been marketing the benefits of using the airport – such as shorter lines, less hassle and cheaper parking – as selling points, and that seems to be working.
Another key factor in passenger growth is the number of flights servicing PTIA – something else airport officials are delighted to see on the rise. The increase in passenger flights in and out of PTIA has been a topic of discussion at several recent meetings of the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority – the seven-member board that oversees airport operations.
The number of PTIA flights scheduled for July 2019 is up 14 percent over the number of flights in July of last year. The number of available seats for passengers to choose from is up 20 percent.
If the passenger stats bring a smile to the faces of airport officials – and they most certainly do – the very impressive cargo stats, also released on Tuesday, bring a flat out ear-to-ear grin: In April of 2019, cargo flights were up 76 percent over April 2018. On a year to date basis, that number is up 65 percent.
