Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport passenger boardings climbed 38% last month compared to a year ago, and officials on Monday OK’d a new spending plan that keeps airline costs and customer parking fees level.
“We’re in a competitive environment for [airline] seats,” said Jim Hall, the Airport Authority’s chairman, at a meeting of the panel. “We need to work to expand our market and keep the existing customers we have.”
Through April, boardings at the airport were up more than 50% versus the same time last year as the effects of the pandemic wane.
Terry Hart, the airport’s chief executive, told the panel it appears many of the air travelers are business people coming back to fly. Business travel was hit hard by the pandemic.
“It’s very encouraging,” Hart said. “We’re on the right path.”