Recent data reflects the public’s growing use of the Trenton-Mercer Airport. Numbers released this week by the Federal Aviation Administration show that passenger growth increased 30.6 percent in 2017 over 2016. According to the FAA, 278,436 people boarded a commercial aircraft out of Trenton-Mercer in 2016, while in 2017, 363,626 people boarded. Presumably, 363,626 people returned to the region, meaning total passengers in and out of Trenton-Mercer Airport were 727,252 in 2017, reports Mercer County.
“The is positive news for Trenton-Mercer Airport, and indicates that the airlines are offering destinations the public wants, passengers are benefiting from the ever-expanding choice of routes, and the next-door location of Trenton-Mercer Airport is attractive to people throughout our region, many of whom have said the convenience of the airport drives their decision to take a family vacation,” said Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes.
With the addition of four new destinations announced in 2018 by Frontier Airlines – Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Jacksonville and Nashville — Mercer County anticipates further increases in enplanements from Trenton-Mercer. Additionally, the airline’s newer, quieter A320 NEO has increased seating capacity over the A319 and former A320, airport officials report.
As its popularity grows, Trenton-Mercer Airport now ranks 143rd out of 533 commercial airports in the United States and is in the top 25 percent of all commercial airports, and supports more passengers than airports with much larger terminals such as Allentown/Lehigh Valley, Pa.; Tallahassee and Daytona, Fla.; Fort Wayne, Ind.; and Santa Barbara, Calif.
To meet the demand, Trenton-Mercer Airport is eyeing a development plan to build a new airport terminal that would accommodate today’s passenger capacity and support future passenger growth. A new terminal would build on a friendly and efficient passenger experience and offer expanded dining options, better security screening areas, modern baggage claim and parking enhancements.
The FAA report can be found at https://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/passenger_allcargo_stats/passenger/media/preliminary-cy2017-commercial-service-enplanements.pdf
