"TIA considers off-airport baggage check-in"

Thursday, September 7, 2006

TIA considers off-airport baggage check-in
The Tampa Bay (FL) Business Journal


Although passenger numbers have been flat at Tampa International Airport in
the last 10 months, the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority this morning
approved an ambitious 2007 budget that includes a $95.3 million capital
improvement program and additional services for passengers. 

"Our goal is to exceed the approved budget by $1.8 million," said HCAA
Executive Director Louis E. Miller. 
 
Services currently under consideration to help achieve that goal include
under-the-wing services for airlines and the implementation of an
off-airport baggage check-in service for passengers from Port of Tampa
cruise ships. 

"That way they can stay downtown and shop," Miller said. "They don't need to
come to the airport to check their baggage and wait for five hours," Miller
said. 

TIA is expected to finish this year with total revenues of $175.5 million,
or $5.3 million (3.1 percent) greater than the $170.1 million budgeted, and
expenses of $80.6 million, $61,500 (.1 percent) less than originally
anticipated. 

Highlights of the 2006-2007 budget include: 

1. Enplaned passengers are estimated to increase by 2.5 percent over current
year projections to 9.8 million. 

2. The net charges for landing fees, terminal rentals and airside rentals to
the airlines serving TIA will increase by 3.7 percent to $41.4 million. 

3. The airline cost per enplaned passenger will increase by 1 percent to
$4.22 compared to the estimate for the current fiscal year of $4.18. 

4. Total revenues are estimated to increase by 4 percent to $182.5 million.

 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/dcfp/dcboard.php


*****************************************