NWF REGIONAL AIRPORT (FORT WALTON BEACH) BREAKS PASSENGER RECORD IN MAY 2011

OH MY, THE WORLD HAS FOUND NORTHWEST FLORIDA AND THEY HAVE FOUND IT IN A BIG WAY. THIS SURELY EXPLAINS OUR VACATION RENTAL COMPANIES HAVING A RECORD BREAKING YEAR, AS WELL. GREAT JOB GREG DONOVAN AND HIS SUPPORTING CAST AND SPECIAL THANKS TO VISION AIRLINES FOR TRUSTING IN OUR AREA. AS A BY PRODUCT OF ALL OF THESE VISITORS, WE ARE ALSO SEEING VACATIONERS SEEKING SECOND HOMES AND INVESTMENT HOMES. WHY NOT! EMERALD GREEN WATERS, WHITE SAND BEACHES, AND MUCH MORE.

Airport tops passenger record again
More than 111,000 people used Northwest Florida Regional in May
By DUSTY RICKETTS
Northwest Florida Daily News 315-4448 dricketts@nwfdailynews.com  
In July 2001, Northwest Florida Regional Airport served 83,846 passengers. For almost 10 years, that was the record for the most passengers in one month. The airport now has shattered the record for the second time in two months. Northwest Florida Regional had a record 96,788 passengers in April. And last month 111,566 people flew into or out of the airport, a 57 percent jump from May 2010.
“It shows the strength of the product being offered here by all five airlines,” said Greg Donovan, Okaloosa County’s airports director. “Vision Airlines clearly has been the most dramatic, but the products being offered here are distinctive. I think the service to these 24 cities makes it much more viable to fly now than it ever has been before. “I was hoping we would hit the 100,000 mark (in May),” Donovan added. “When the number came in at 111,000, it exceeded my expectations and I know there’s even more potential there.” Donovan attributed much of the increase to Vision’s decision to use the airport as its hub. Also, people who were scared off last year because of the oil spill are returning this year. “This is the type of positive performance we’re going to continue to work hard at,” Donovan said. “I think we can go even higher, and that’s what we’re striving for. The months of June, July and August will reflect a fully implemented schedule.” May’s numbers do not reflect the five new destinations Vision Airlines launched earlier this month, including Las Vegas and St. Louis. Other airports along the Gulf Coast also showed increases in ridership. Passengers at Pens a c o l a G u l f C o a s t Regional Airport were up 6.4 percent in May with 154,792 passengers. Business at the Mobile, Ala., Regional Airport was up 6.8 percent with 54,002 passengers. Figures for Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport in Bay County were not available.