Despite steady traffic, Wilmington airport budget to get ax - Triangle Business Journal:

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The double digit reduction from a budget thattotalec $6.7 million last fiscal year is necessitatede by the economic downturnb and changes in the airlinre industry. Yet it’s one of the few major reversals the small coasta l airport has experienced over the past coupleof ILM, as it’s known to the aviatiob community, enplaned 409,281 passengers in 2008, up by 1 percengt from the 405,072 recorded in the previous calendaer year – which also was a recorxd year. In addition to the passenger the airport in 2008 added a thirdcarrier – – to its roster. it’s been a very good market for us,” says Tyri a spokeswoman for Allegiant.
The Las Vegas-based airlinre started service between ILMand Fla., in April and added service to Fla., in November. and also provide servicse at ILM. Squyres says it’zs possible Allegiant could add more servic e at ILMthis year. That would be a real coup for the which is feeling the effects of capacit y reductions acrossthe industry. Air carriers cut flightss around the country last year as they groundedless fuel-efficientr planes to regain pricinyg power. While there was a seasonalo change in the number of US Airwayas flightsto Philadelphia, Rosborougg says Wilmington hasn’t lost any destinations. But the overalpl industry trends still are impactingthe airport.
“At the end of the yeah, we trailed off a little bit – but so did everybodyu else,” says Rosborough. “I think a lot of it has to do with the Airport officials already are seeing revenue dipsfrom concessions, rental cars and general aviation fuel Rosborough says the airport plans to achieve the 10 percent in budget cuts through a selective hiring freezde and renegotiations of supply contracts with vendors. Asked if the airpor also is consideringpay freezes, Rosborough says that ILM is lookinh at every budget including current pay practices. ILM employs 44 people, and Rosborougu says keeping costs down helps to attractg and keepair service.
“We don’tg do a lot of extravagang things,” he says. “We try to run a Spartan operation.” ILM’s three carriers provid nonstop service between the Port Cityand Charlotte, Philadelphia, Orlando, Tampa and New York City. According to data compiledr by aviation consultingfirm , ILM’sw average fare for the year ended Septembed 2008 was $195.57, essentially flat compared to $196.8o0 in the same period the previous Load factor – the measure of how full an airplande is – for the totalp calendar year declined from 80.1 percenf in 2007, to 75.8 percent in 2008. Rosborough is realistic about his air service goals in timex suchas these.
His primary Maintain the existing service. Yet he’s also working to add service to destinations suchas Washington, D.C., Boston, Dallas and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Those are ILM’s top five destinations that don’yt currently have nonstop service from the Askedabout Delta’s service to ILM, Delta spokeswoman Susan Elliotrt says there are no changes to announce at this US Airways representatives could not be reached for