"New terminal provides big lift at Harrisburg, Pa., airport"

Thursday, October 28, 2004

New terminal provides big lift at Harrisburg, Pa., airport
The Harrisburg (PA) Patriot-News


Passenger traffic and revenue from concessions increased during the first
full month of operation of the new terminal at Harrisburg International
Airport, officials reported Wednesday. 

In September, 55,686 passengers departed from HIA, up 2.6 percent from the
same month last year, officials said. 

In the first nine months of this year, more than 1 million airline
passengers used HIA, up 6.4 percent from the same period in 2003. 

Also on the rise is average passenger spending on food and news and gift
items in the new terminal, which has a food court, restaurant and more
concessions than the old terminal. 

Such spending used to average $3.90 per passenger in the old terminal, but
rose to an average of $5.94 per passenger in September, HIA Aviation
Director Fred Testa said. 

"It's a huge jump. What we're showing is that at a facility with lots of
choices, people are making choices," he said. 

Testa said the transition to the new terminal, which opened on Aug. 29, was
smooth, with the biggest problem being inadequate signs in the parking
garage. The airport is in the process of correcting that, he said. 

HIA also announced additional TransMeridian Airlines flights to Orlando
Sanford International Airport during the peak winter travel period. 

Between Jan. 4 and May 25, 2005, TransMeridian will add flights on Mondays
and Thursdays. And between Feb. 10 and April 4, it will offer daily service,
except on Tuesdays. One-way fares will begin at $79, not including taxes and
fees. 

During its meeting Wednesday, the Susquehanna Area Regional Airport
Authority board awarded a $102,564 contract to Buchart Horn Inc. of York to
develop an action plan for Franklin County Regional Airport. The authority,
which owns HIA and Capital City Airport, took over the ailing general
aviation airport near Chambersburg over the summer. 

A $297,820 contract was awarded to URS of Hunt Valley, Md., for
architectural and design services for a proposed train station at HIA. 

The board welcomed a new member, H. Glenn Manning, appointed by the Dauphin
County commissioners to replace William Seeds. 

Manning is vice president of marketing and sales for Quandel Group. 

Melvin Johnson, who headed the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise compliance
program during HIA's $240 million expansion project, said his final report
will be released soon. He predicted that the final value of contracts
awarded to businesses owned by minorities and women may be closer to $22.5
million, rather than the $24 million he originally estimated. 

That's because some DBE contractors subcontracted work to non-DBE
contractors, Johnson said. 

HIA's federally mandated goal was to award $6.8 million in contracts under
the DBE program.


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