(Middletown, PA – December 3, 2014)  The Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority (SARAA) today approved a 2015 expense budget of $16.0 million.  The budget consists of $15.4 million for maintenance and operations (M&O) and about $600,000 for capital improvements.

“The 2015 SARAA budget plan is slightly revenue positive and structured to meet all operations and debt service obligations,” said Tim Edwards, Executive Director.

SARAA anticipates 2015 total airline and non-airline revenues at about $25.9 million—up about three percent compared to 2014’s forecast of $25.0 million.  Edwards explained revenue increases are possible due to the new five-year airline and rental car operating agreements and a slight increase in the daily long-term and garage short-term parking hourly rate.  Controllable 2015 SARAA maintenance, operating and capital expenses remain flat at $16.0 million.  Passenger traffic may decline about five percent due to the loss of Frontier Airlines in May 2015.

SARAA 2015/2014 Budget Comparison

HIA adjusts 2015 Parking Rates
Effective January 1, 2015, HIA’s daily long-term parking rate will increase from $8.50 to $9.50 per day.  The rate for parking during the first hour in the HIA parking garage will increase from $2.20 to $4.40 as well.  The garage’s daily rate remains at $20.00.

Edwards noted that “even with these new rates, parking at HIA remains at or below levels charges at other parking facilities throughout the region.”

SARAA Approves Nearly $900,000 in New Contracts
The Airport Authority approved five new contracts totaling $899,139 for projects  including the rehabilitation of taxiway A at Harrisburg International Airport, a cemetery fence design and rehabilitation of Hangar 112 at Capital City Airport and for the design of a runway rehabilitation project at Gettysburg Regional Airport.  “The ongoing partnership between SARAA staff and those at the Federal Aviation Administration and the Pennsylvania Bureau of Aviation enable us to maintain our airport systems infrastructure for aviation users throughout our region,” said SARAA Board chair Fred Sembach.

October 2014 Passenger Traffic off one percent
SARAA reported today that 117,298 passengers used the facility during October 2014 down one percent compared to October 2013.  During the first ten months of 2014, 1,088,658 passengers have used the facility.

The next SARAA Board meeting will take place on Wednesday, January 28th, 2015 at 8:00 am, in the David C. McIntosh Boardroom on the third floor of the HIA Terminal Building.

###

Seven airlines serve Harrisburg International Airport (HIA) offering about 70 flights daily to 12 non-stop destinations.  The Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority (SARAA) owns HIA, Capital City Airport in New Cumberland and both Franklin County and Gettysburg Regional Airports.  Incorporated in 1997, SARAA is a multi-municipal authority whose mission is to serve the region by providing high quality, efficient airports and promoting regional economic development.  Combined these four facilities handle about 90,000 aircraft operations and generate a total economic output of more than $990 million annually.