Mitchell released its October 2009 stats, and it was the busiest October on record, with nearly 706,000 passengers for the month. Mitchell continues to grow despite the challenges of the economy.
Here is the complete news release:
Walker Announces a Record October for General Mitchell International Airport
Mitchell Moves Up to 28 th in Number of Cities Served Nonstop
(MILWAUKEE) – Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker announced today that October 2009 was the busiest on record for that month at General Mitchell International Airport. The October total of 705,989 passengers was an increase of 21.15 percent over last October’s 582,722 passengers, and was the first time more than 700,000 passengers used the airport in the month of October.
Walker noted that there were 123,662 more airline seats into and out of Milwaukee this October compared to last, and 123,267 more passengers. “Wisconsin and northern Illinois passengers have enthusiastically welcomed the new low-fare flight options out of Mitchell, filling just about every seat the airlines added in October,” he said.
Airport Director Barry Bateman said, “With 48 markets, Mitchell International has moved up to 28 th among U.S. airports in number of markets served nonstop, according to new data published by the Brookings Institute.” Mitchell’s rank in a similar 2004 study was 34 th . “This ranking means that more nonstop markets are served out of Milwaukee than out of other Midwestern cities, such as Nashville; Pittsburgh; Indianapolis and Columbus, and out of medium-sized cities elsewhere in the U.S., including Portland, OR; Austin; New Orleans; San Diego; Raleigh/Durham; Albuquerque; San Antonio and Hartford, CT,” Bateman said. He noted that competition has heated up at the airport since Southwest Airlines launched service on November 1 st and AirTran and Midwest have added flights.
The average airfare out of Milwaukee was lower than 75 other U.S. airports, according to recently released U.S. Department of Transportation statistics for 2 nd Quarter 2009. Mitchell’s average fare was about $44 less than O’Hare’s and $28 less than the nation’s average fare.
General Mitchell International Airport is owned by Milwaukee County and operated by the Department of Transportation & Public Works, Airport Division, under the policy direction of the Milwaukee County Executive and the County Board of Supervisors. The airport is entirely funded by user fees; no property tax dollars are used for the airport’s capital improvements or for its day-to-day operation. For more information on Mitchell International, visit
www.mitchellairport.com .
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