(Middletown, PA – July 30, 2014)  The Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority (SARAA), in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Pennsylvania Bureau of Aviation, today awarded four new contracts totaling $796,330.

“So far in 2014, SARAA and our partners have invested more than $4.6 million into the regional economy as we work to maintain and improve the infrastructure at all of our facilities,” said SARAA Chairman Fred Sembach.  “Operating safe and efficient facilities for our tenants is a core focus of the airport authority.”  The projects awarded were:

Frontier and Allegiant post busiest months ever at HIA

During June 2014 a total of 118,659 passengers arrived and departed Harrisburg International Airport (HIA).  While this total was down two percent compared to June 2013, both Frontier (10,938) and Allegiant (8,462) served more passengers in June than during any previous month since they began service in 2012.  “Frontier’s new summer seasonal service to Chicago-Midway in addition to its popular service to Denver and Orlando increased June passengers by 20 percent,” said Sembach.  “Allegiant’s 13 percent increase in traffic is due to flying larger aircraft to both Orlando-Sanford and St. Petersburg/Clearwater,” he said.

Sembach pointed out that American’s larger planes to Chicago O’Hare allowed the airline to serve more June passengers (8,957) than in any month since November 2007.   Air Canada posted a nearly 28 percent increase in traffic to Toronto and to International destinations beyond.   “While every airline at HIA is currently performing well financially and most are generating increase in year-over-year traffic, overall airport traffic remains about one percent behind 2013’s pace.  United’s discontinuation of flights to both Cleveland and Newark has resulted in a monthly 20 percent loss in traffic.  This has negated all growth by the other airlines and may continue for the rest of 2014.”

Regional Flooding Update

The Board of Directors passed a resolution to continue efforts with Lower Swatara Township, the Borough of Highspire, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, federal officials, and others to study and seek funding for flood mitigation—especially flooding associated with the Stoner Run.  Stoner Run is a primary source of regional storm water that flows from Lower Swatara Township through residential and commercial property, through airport property, and eventually into the Susquehanna River.  SARAA recently concluded a study of possible upstream controls to mitigate the impact of Stoner Run on the airport drainage system.  The next steps would be to conduct a preliminary engineering investigation and a conceptual design of potential solutions.  However, the cost-benefit of these studies (which included potential federal funding) is lacking so these plans have been tabled.  SARAA looks forward to continued discussions and coordination with its neighbors and partners on this issue.

The next SARAA Board meeting will take place on Wednesday, August 27, 2014 at 8:00 am, in the David C. McIntosh Boardroom on the third floor of the HIA Terminal Building.

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Harrisburg International Airport is served by seven major airlines with approximately 100 flights daily to 15 non-stop destinations.  HIA is owned by SARAA, a multi-municipal authority whose mission is to serve the region by providing high quality, efficient airports and promoting regional economic development.  SARAA was incorporated in 1997 to manage and oversee the economic development of Harrisburg International Airport and Capital City Airport.  SARAA board members are volunteer community leaders appointed by the elected officials from the counties of Cumberland, Dauphin and York, the cities of Harrisburg and York, and the townships of Fairview and Lower Swatara.  On July 29^th, 2004, SARAA acquired the Chambersburg Municipal Airport and renamed it the Franklin County Regional Airport and on August 25^th, 2006, SARAA acquired the Gettysburg Travel Center and renamed it the Gettysburg Regional Airport.  In 2012, combined these four facilities handled approximately 10,000 aircraft operations generated a total economic output of more than $991 million.