Business

AVL traffic soared in 2014

By Bill Moss, Published: January 15, 2015

The Asheville Regional Airport is on track to break its all-time record for boarding passengers in 2014, airport officials told the Greater Asheville Regional Airport Authority on Friday.

In November overall traffic was up 9.6 percent over November 2013, including an 11.5 percent increase in passenger boardings. Enplanements were also up by 12.2 percent for the calendar year through November, to 346,979. The increase in passengers in November was spurred by Allegiant Airlines, which was up 50 percent from 2013. Delta was up by 6 percent, United dropped by 14 percent the US Airways inched up by 1.1 percent. Load factor climbed in November by 1.4 percent, to 75.2 percent; it is 84 percent for the year, up 9.3 percent. Military flights soared by 47 percent in November and 52 percent for the year.
As the airport added flights and passengers, it also added revenue. Operating revenue is up 11 percent for the fiscal year that started July 1 and expenses were down 14 percent. The authority had cash on hand of $16.4 million.