Higher traffic at Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport is spurring officials to consider expanding the passenger concourse and boosting parking, and they’re pursuing seasonal nonstops to Destin, Fla.
Also, the record passenger boardings at Lovell Field have helped earn airport chief Terry Hart a new six-year deal.
“We’ve been on steroids for five years,” said Airport Authority member Mike Mallen at a meeting of the panel Monday as he endorsed the new contract for Hart, who currently makes $158,377 a year.
Hart said boardings have climbed 19.23 percent in the first seven months of 2017 compared with the same period a year ago as the airport heads for another all-time annual high for a fourth consecutive year.
He cited competitive fares as the No. 1 reason followed by the convenience of flying out of Chattanooga rather than driving to another airport to travel.