Airline traffic numbers up at Fort Smith, on a record pace at XNA

Enplanement growth continues to be impressive in Northwest Arkansas and Fort Smith commercial airports, with possibly by early December the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) breaking an enplanement record that has stood since 2007.

XNA traffic reached 598,886 in 2007, but did not continue growing when the national economy entered the Great Recession. Enplanements at XNA fell to 540,918 in 2009 after reaching the 2007 high.

However, XNA enplanements for the first 10 months of 2014 total 542,258, up 10.74% compared to the same period of 2013, and up 8.27% compared to the same period in 2007. October enplanements at XNA totaled 58,224, up 7.98% compared to October 2013.

“I haven’t thought about that. You know, that might be a good idea,” said Kelly Johnson, director of the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, when asked if airport staff were planning a celebration of a new record.

As to why XNA traffic is on a record pace, Johnson said “the general economy picking back up has been a real godsend,” and fare prices at XNA are down more than 4.5%. She also said airport officials observed more “discretionary travel” during the summer than in years past.

For all of 2013, XNA enplanements totaled 579,679, up 2.58% compared to the same period in 2012. The enplanement growth remained stable through the year, with enplanements up 2.42% at the end of the first quarter of 2013. Enplanements at XNA totaled 565,045 during 2012, up just 0.4% compared to 2011. Although slight, the gain prevented XNA from posting two-consecutive years of enplanement declines. XNA’s first full year of traffic was 1999, and the airport posted eight consecutive years of enplanement gains before seeing a decline in 2008.

FORT SMITH TRAFFIC
The Fort Smith Regional Airport, served by flights from Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth, posted October enplanements of 8,830, up 19.2% compared to October 2013.

Enplanements for the first 10 months of 2014 total 77,610, up 9.04% compared to the same period in 2013.

For all of 2013, enplanements at the airport totaled 84,520, down 2.46% compared to the same period in 2012. The decline ended three consecutive years of enplanement gains at the airport.

Based on monthly averages, Fort Smith enplanements could reach more than 93,000 in 2014. The last time enplanements were above 100,000 was in 2005, with 102,607. The last year enplanements were above 90,000 was in 2007, with 99,217.

With 45,039 enplanements for the first 10 months of 2014, American Airlines accounts for 58% of commercial traffic out of Fort Smith. Delta Air Lines had the remaining market share – 32,571 enplanements – for the first 10 months of 2014.

American enplanements out of Fort Smith are up 8.85% for the first nine months of 2014 compared to the same period of 2013, and Delta enplanements are up 9.3%.

Enplanement numbers should remain positive at XNA and Fort Smith for the holiday period. Airlines for America, the trade association for the commercial air travel industry, projected 24.6 million will travel globally on U.S. airlines during the 12-day Thanksgiving travel period (Nov. 21-Dec.2). If the estimate holds, it would be a 1.5% gain compared to the holiday travel period in 2013.

“An expanding U.S. economy, rising personal incomes, employment growth and lower energy prices are driving growth in demand,” A4A Vice President and Chief Economist John Heimlich said in the statement. “There is no better time to fly than now, as airfare remains one of the best consumer bargains in America, given its superior speed and price versus other modes of travel.”

The busiest travel day is expected to be Nov. 30, with the lightest travel days likely to be Nov. 27-28.

LITTLE ROCK TRAFFIC
The national economic trends helping boost growth at XNA and Fort Smith are not doing the same for the Bill & Hillary Clinton National Airport (Little Rock National Airport).

Enplanements for the first nine months of 2014 totaled 783,084, down 4.95% compared to the same period in 2013. September enplanements were 80,800, down 4.57% compared to September 2013.

Enplanements in 2013 totaled 1.085 million, down 5.45% compared to 2012. Enplanements in 2012 totaled 1.147 million, up 4.07% compared to 2011. The 2012 numbers ended five consecutive years of enplanement declines at Arkansas’ largest commercial field.