Passenger flow at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport up 21.7%

Bill O’Boyle, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
·2 min read

May 23—PITTSTON TWP. — Carl Beardsley, Executive Director at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, on Thursday told the members of the Bi-County Airport Board some more "good news."

Beardsley reported that passenger enplanements for the month of April 2024 increased 21.7% to 17,852 from 14,665 in the month of April 2023.

Beardsley also said that in April 2024, two departing flights were cancelled, both for Air Traffic Control/weather issues. He said the numbers represent out of a total of 20,572 departure seats, just 100 (.5%). Also, one arriving flight was cancelled for ATC/Weather.

Beardsley said AVP currently offers travelers approximately 20 daily arrivals and departures, which includes non-stop flights to multiple destinations, with one-stop service to hundreds of destinations worldwide.

He said the airport and its airline partners have added five additional destinations so far in 2024.

In other business, the board:

—Heard a report from Chris Dalessandro, Director of Finance, regarding the CARES Grant. Dalessandro said the Airport has received $15,218,365.57 in reimbursements and the balance in the account has reached $0.

—Approved a contract for construction of the "Taxiway B Extension — Paving and Lighting" project in the amount of $6,691,500 to the low bidder, Leeward Construction Inc., Honesdale.

—Discussed the status of federal funding for law enforcement officers (LEO) that has not yet been approved by federal legislators. The funding for LEOs was cut in an appropriations bill in March. Since then, Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce has been paying for the officers out of his budget, said Walter Griffith, Luzerne County Controller.

"Jurisdictionally, the airport is in Luzerne County," said Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo, who sits on the Airport Board.

Griffith said both counties should share in the cost and when funding is approved, they should be reimbursed. Beardsley said he sent a letter to local federal legislators asking them to advocate for the restoration of the funding.

The airport does employ a security staff.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.