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Springfield Airport Sees Growth in 2015

Scott Harvey
/
KSMU

More people flew out of Springfield in 2015 than ever before.  The total passenger count at the Springfield-Branson National Airport last year topped 919,000 which breaks the old record of 888,738 set in 2005.  The passenger count last year was up nine percent from 2014.

The airport’s director of aviation, Brian Weiler, says the growth in passengers is “a strong indicator of a much improved economy.”There were several air service improvements in 2015, including twice-daily service by American Airlines to its major hub in Charlotte, and bigger planes are being used by all airlines, according to airport spokesperson Kent Boyd.  Some of those planes, he says, offer first-class service.  The total number of seats in Springfield increased 15.9 percent from 2012 to 2015.

The airport expects continued passenger growth in 2016.  Weiler says American will add a fifth daily flight to Chicago in April, giving Springfield a total of 9 flights a day to that destination. He says if the growth trend continues as expected, the airport should exceed a million passengers within the next few years.

In order to accommodate that growth, he says the airport is currently designing and will have a parking lot expansion project underway later this year. 

Michele Skalicky has worked at KSMU since the station occupied the old white house at National and Grand. She enjoys working on both the announcing side and in news and has been the recipient of statewide and national awards for news reporting. She likes to tell stories that make a difference. Michele enjoys outdoor activities, including hiking, camping and leisurely kayaking.
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