Cape Air drops fares as September passenger numbers fall
7 months, 2 weeks ago by Bob Gough
City, airline working to achieve 10,000 passenger to qualify for $1 million subsidy
A decline in passenger boardings at Quincy Regional Airport comes on the heels of a push from the City and Cape Air to still hit 10,000 enplanements this year.
September boardings were down to 775 from 823 in September 2011.
Jeff Steinkamp, interim airport director, said weather was a factor in the drop.
“Passenger Boardings took a moderate decline in September due to several reasons, including the prudent cancelation of seven flights during the past month mostly because of severe weather flying conditions,” Steinkamp said. “These unsafe conditions were not so much experienced in the Quincy area but mostly in the surrounding St. Louis (Lambert International) Airport vicinity.”
Steinkamp said QRA is still running 8.5% ahead of 2011’s year-to-date boardings at 7,235 passengers and that number is 31% ahead of 2010’s mark.
Andrew Bonney of Cape Air says the price is being reduced on selected St. Louis flights to $39 to help them get to 10,000 so the City can qualify for $1 million of Federal Grant money that can be used for Capital Infrastructure and Safety Improvement Projects.
“This discount fare is our way of saying thanks to the Quincy community for its support as we continue to work for 10,000 enplanements in 2012,” Bonney said.
Steinkamp added that Quincy Mayor John Spring has been working on an incentive with Cape Air in an effort to increase the chances of hitting the 10,000 passenger mark.
Jan 2011 - 639
Feb 2011 - 557
March 2011 – 773
April 2011 – 625
May 2011 - 853
June 2011 - 789
July 2011 – 824
August 2011 – 782
September 2011 - 823
YTD 2011 – 6665
Jan 2012 - 758
Feb 2012 – 679
March 2012 – 772
April 2012 – 756
May 2012 – 874
June 2012 – 848
July 2012 – 874
August 2012 – 899
September 2012 - 775
YTD 2012 – 7235
Updated 0 sec ago