BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS – Passenger movements at St. Kitts’ Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport increased nearly 19 percent in 2008 compared to the previous year.
Figures from the Department of Finance and Statistics of the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA) indicate that the airport handled a total of 299,706 movements in 2008, an increase of 25,773 passenger movements compared to 273,933 in 2007.
There were 149,059 passenger arrivals in 2008 compared to 137,342 in 2007, up 8.41 percent and 150,647 passenger departures in 2008 compared to 136,591 in 2007, up 10.19 percent.
The top three months, March, August and January saw passenger arrivals of 15,429, 15,079 and 13,615 respectively, while the top three months saw passenger departures of 16,463 in March, 15,655 in July and 15,505 in August.
LIAT – the Caribbean airline brought in 54,405 passengers on 3,334 flights; American Airlines, 38,808 passengers on 366 flights; American Eagle brought in 23,005 passengers on 562 flights; WINAIR, 7,233 passengers on 1,417 flights; 5,086 passengers arrived on US Airways from 48 flights; 4,631 passengers on Miami Air from 57 flights; 4,576 passengers on EXCEL Airways from 37 flights and 3,848 passengers on Delta Airlines from 37 flights. SkyService brought in 1,830 passengers on 19 flights; 1,579 passengers arrived on 468 corporate jets; Air Jamaica 252 passengers from one flight; Air Bahamas, 235 passengers from six flights; and 2,345 passengers on other aircraft from 1,301 flights.
American Airlines operates scheduled flights from New York and Miami; Delta from Atlanta; US Airways from Charlotte, North Carolina; WINAIR from St. Maarten; LIAT from Antigua, the British Virgin Islands, St. Maarten and the United States Virgin Islands and American Eagle from San Juan, Puerto Rico. SkyService and Miami Air operate charter flights North America. British Airways began a weekly scheduled service from London-Gatwick in January this year.
Inspite of an increase in passengers movements, aircraft movements decreased from 17,626 landings in 2007 to 15,731 landings in 2008.
Cargo handled at the Robert Bradshaw International Airport also dropped in 2008 compared to 2007. Cargo exported dropped from 937 tons in 2007 to 910 tons in 2008 while cargo imported dropped from 1250 tons in 2007 to 1146 tons in 2008.
