Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field (KAGS) measures more than a half million passengers in 2012

Augusta Regional Airport recorded another year of passenger growth in 2012, hitting an all-time high of more than a half million travelers departing and arriving.

The airport saw a nearly 2 percent growth, or an additional 10,000 passengers to surpass the 541,843 totaled in 2011. The growth rate, however, was meager compared to double-digit increases in recent years, officials said.

Following 15 years of falling passenger numbers, Augusta Regional Airport has grown 102 percent since 2006. In 2010, passenger numbers grew between 20 and 25 percent but that fell to about 9 percent in 2011.

Growth is slowing because of a shortage of seats in the market, said Diane Johnston, the airport’s marketing director. The airport lost a net 7,000 seats in 2012 after American Airlines stopped a direct flight to Dallas in January. The addition of a U.S. Airways flight to Washington, D.C. and some larger Delta Airlines aircraft helped slightly but aircraft are routinely filling to between 90 and 100 percent capacity.

“We don’t have enough seats in the market for us to continue to grow,” Johnston said.

Strong passenger numbers help the airport attract new or improved service, said Lauren Smith, communications manager. A constant line of communication is maintained between Augusta Regional and major airlines.

“They always look at our numbers to see if we have the potential for added flights,” Smith said. “The more passengers we see, the more potential we have for adding flights or adding service.”

Fares for flights departing Augusta Regional are competitive with other markets, Smith said.

“Augusta wants to use their local airport,” she said. “They have noticed the low fares and that service is reliable.”

Another contributor to growth was service from Delta Airlines in addition to its regional partner Atlantic Southeast Airlines that operates most daily flights from Augusta for Delta.

The mainline Delta flight was added in May 2011 and operates a 125-seat jet with a first-class cabin once a day, Johnston said. Passenger numbers on that flight grew 10 to 15 percent each month in 2012.

Seventeen flights depart Augusta Regional Airport daily and another 17 arrive, Smith said.

DEPARTING FLIGHTS

2011

-Atlantic Southeast Airlines: 122,547

-Delta: 26,701

-U.S. Airways Express: 97,596

-Charters: 2,075

-American Eagle: 23,932

-Total: 272,851

2012

-Atlantic Southeast Airlines: 122,116

-Delta: 44,056

-U.S. Airways Express: 108,938

-Charters: 2,525

-American Eagle: 1,607

-Total: 279,242

ARRIVING FLIGHTS

2011

-Atlantic Southeast Airlines: 121,033

-Delta: 25,255

-U.S. Airways Express: 95,096

-Charters: 2,312

-American Eagle: 25,296

-Total: 268,992

2012

-Atlantic Southeast Airlines: 120,628

-Delta: 40,298

-U.S. Airways Express: 107,507

-Charters: 2,601

-American Eagle: 1,677

-Total: 272,711

Source: Augusta Regional Airport

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