"Miami airport traffic hits highest peak since Sept. 11 attacks"

Wednesday, December 8, 2004

Miami airport traffic hits highest peak since Sept. 11 attacks
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel


MIAMI -- Passenger traffic at Miami International Airport is at its highest
levels since it plummeted after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks,
Interim Aviation Director Carlos F. Bonzon said on Tuesday.

For the fiscal year ending September 2004, the number of passengers who used
Miami's airport increased by 2.4 percent to 30.2 million-- mostly through
people traveling on domestic flights. Cargo totals also increased nearly 10
percent during this time, though the actual number of flights dropped
slightly.

"These figures are proof that MIA's passengers are flying and freight is
moving in larger volume," said Bonzon, who expects that in two years traffic
will reach 34 million, which is what it had been in 2000, before the
terrorist attacks.

"We are cautiously optimistic about a continued growth trend," he said.

MIA is South Florida's largest airport, but in recent years has lost
customers to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, which has more
competitive prices through carriers like Delta Air Lines Inc.'s low-cost
unit Song.

To compete, Bonzon said airport officials are working on luring low-cost
airlines like JetBlue and having a Metrorail stop at the airport linked to
Broward's Tri-Rail system by 2009. American Airlines, the biggest carrier in
Miami, announced last month it would lower fares and simplify ticket rules
for domestic flights at Miami in order to bring back customers from Fort
Lauderdale.

Bonzon also talked about the airport expansion, which will increase terminal
space from 5 million square feet to more than 8 million square feet,
comparable to 150 football fields.

He discussed a replacement for Angela Gittens, who abruptly resigned as
airport director in November after battling with American Airlines over the
construction of the north terminal and its $66 million budget shortfall.
Gittens' departure stunned people throughout Miami-Dade who supported her
efforts to repair the airport's shoddy reputation and insulate it from
cronyism.

County commissioners are expected to retain a search firm before Christmas
and have already started advertising the position in trade publications. An
appointment could be made as soon as March, Bonzon said.

One of Gittens' concerns was the lack of funding from Homeland Security. MIA
depends on international traffic more than any other U.S. airport, and has
struggled to balance increased security with congestion that has forced
travelers to miss international connections.

The airport is in the process of installing automatic baggage screening
machines at a cost of $93 million for the north terminal and $40 million for
the south terminal, which should speed up the process.

The Transport Security Administration is expected to fund two-thirds of the
cost, said Mark Forare, assistant aviation director for security, who will
travel to Washington D.C. next week to meet with federal officials.


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