Ontario International Airport (ONT) in the US has observed footfall of 420,000 passengers in September this year, an increase of 14% year-on-year.
The total number of arriving and departing travellers included more than 402,000 domestic passengers, up 12% compared to 360,000 passengers in September last year.
The number of international arrivals doubled to 17,842 from 8,772 in September last year.
Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) president Alan Wapner said: “The steady increases in passenger volume show that air carriers and travellers have great faith in Ontario as a viable aviation gateway in Southern California.
“Our customers are sophisticated travellers who know a first-rate airport when they see it and demand the best services and amenities. We promise to work hard every day to exceed their expectations.”
More than 3.7 million travellers moved through ONT from January through September, up 13.3% over the same period last year.
Passenger growth was supported by the launch of a direct flight to New York City by JetBlue in early September. A month earlier, Frontier Airlines launched daily service to Florida.
Recently, Delta Air Lines unveiled plans to start nonstop service to its Atlanta hub.
The airport also registered double-digit growth in cargo business in September. Commercial freight and mail increased 12.4% in September to more than 61,000 tons, up from 54,000 tons in September last year.
OIAA Commissioner Jim Bowman said: “The continued strong performance in both passenger and cargo volumes validates the tremendous commitment and efforts of our staff and leadership team in the two years since the airport’s return to local control.”
ONT, through 8 passenger carriers, provides 64 direct commercial flight services to 18 major airports in the US, Mexico and Taiwan and connecting service to many domestic and international destinations.
