Orlando International Airport processes more than 44 million annual passengers
ORLANDO, Fla. (FOX 35 WOFL) - The Orlando International Airport is reporting that for the first time in the airport's history, they are processing more than 44 million annual passengers on a rolling 12-month basis.
In October, they reportedly surpassed the 44 million traveler mark with a strong 14.9% increase in passenger traffic for the month. They believe that with holiday travel predictions, the numbers will continue to rise.
Phil Brown, the Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, says that "we knew this day was coming and we have been steadily preparing for it. Our current $3.5 billion Capital Improvement Program has us on the right track to grow as needed to meet the ever increasing demand."
The airport says that both domestic and international traffic registered double-digit increases in October, pushing traffic to 3.6 million for the month.
An increase in load factor for the month was reportedly a heavy contributor towards the increase in passengers. The average load factor was 89.8%, which was the highest average monthly load factor in two years. That means that flights going into the airport were full.
Airlines also reportedly increased the number of flights operating at the Orlando International Airport by 2,826 for the month, led by Frontier with 800 additional flights and Spirit with 700 additional operations.