A jump in passenger volume at the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport last month signals an increasing need for long-term expansion plans, board members said Monday.
Boardings at the airport increased by 16 percent in May over the same period a year ago, the fastest rate boardings have increased in four years, according to Mike Landguth, president and CEO of the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority.
“Clearly, we have incredible growth in our regional economy,” Landguth said. “That growth, combined with extremely competitive fares, is attracting more travelers into the airport.”
He’s talking about travelers like Devonna Talley, who said she drove 55 minutes to get to the airport because it was less expensive than flying out of Huntsville.
Or Susan Basch, who sipped a glass of wine while she waited, calling the terminal “so much more manageable than the bigger airports,” though she hopes to see more nonstop flights soon.