Jan 26 2023
Second best isn’t normally an item of note, but it’s nearly a complete recovery from the
passenger downturn created by the pandemic when annual passenger numbers were down more than 50 percent.
|
YEAR |
TOTAL PASSENGERS |
CHANGE FROM |
|
2022 |
1,109,529 |
+ 14.6% |
|
2021 |
968,227 |
+ 61.7% |
|
2020 |
598,604 |
- 49.6% |
|
2019 * |
1,187,068 |
+ 10.4% |
|
|
|
|
|
* Record year |
|
|
Several factors appear responsible for the upswing. They include the strong performance of the Springfield area economy, and pent-up demand. People were eager to travel after more than a year of staying home due to the pandemic.
Other airport metrics also show improvements:
- In 2022 the number of airline seats available in Springfield rose 4 percent over 2021. That indicates growing passenger demand.
- Flights leaving Springfield were 88 percent full on average. That’s eight percent better than 2021.
- 8.5 million gallons of aviation fuel was loaded on board aircraft — a nine percent increase over 2021.