Fort Smith enplanements jump 26% in October

The big improvement in enplanement gains at the Fort Smith Regional Airport are reflective of an improving economy and of how bad the numbers were in 2009, says Airport Director John Parker.

October enplanements at the airport totaled 8,231, up 26.39% compared to October 2009. In September, enplanements were up 25.7%.

Enplanements in Fort Smith total 71,942 for the first 10 months of 2010, up 8.46% from the 66,328 for the same period in 2009.

“The numbers were so bad last year, because the economy had fallen off so bad, that a normal recovery looks much more substantial,” Parker said of the big percentage increases in September and October. “We’re a direct reflection of the economy. If people feel that it is a little better, we’ll see it here.”

Traffic at the regional airport has seen two years of consecutive dips. Enplanements in 2009 at the Fort Smith airport totaled 78,432, down 9.8% from the 87,030 enplanements in 2008. Passenger enplanements at the Fort Smith Regional Airport totaled 87,030 in 2008, down 12.2% from the 99,127 enplanements in 2007. The 2009 traffic total was the lowest at the airport in the past 10 years.

Despite the potential for an improving economy and the realized increased enplanements, American Eagle is cutting one flight between Dallas-Fort Worth and Fort Smith beginning Dec. 16.

American Eagle reported enplanements  systemwide of 1.499 million in October, up 2.6% over October 2009. Year-to-date, American Eagle enplanements are up 1.2%. Delta, the other carrier at the airport, reported that its regional U.S. enplanements were up 0.2% in October. For the year, Delta’s regional U.S. enplanements are down 1.2%.

Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) also is recovering from two years of consecutive declines. For the first nine months of 2010 (XNA had not reported October traffic as of Nov. 6), the airport had 424,357 enplanements, up 4.95% over the 404,305 in the 2009 period.

Thanksgiving traffic estimates suggest Fort Smith and XNA gains in November, also.

The Air Transport Association reported Nov. 1 that it expects a 3.5% year-over-year increase in the number of passengers traveling on U.S. airlines during the Thanksgiving season. A total of 24 million air travelers are projected over the period, with daily passenger volumes ranging from 1.3 million to 2.5 million.

“It is reassuring to see travel levels rebounding, with the stronger economy,” ATA President and CEO James May said in a statement. “While modest, the recovery is particularly encouraging given the deep hole that this industry was in a year ago.”

PAST DECADE OF ENPLANEMENTS (Fort Smith Regional Airport)
2009: 78,432
2008: 87,030
2007: 99,127
2006: 94,717
2005: 102,607
2004: 92,928
2003: 90,493
2002: 87,944
2001: 95,419
2000: 104,182