DAYTONA BEACH — After seeing its numbers nosedive to a record low in April because of the coronavirus pandemic, Daytona Beach International Airport in August racked up gains in passenger traffic for the fourth month in a row. But the airport unexpectedly set another milestone last month.
For the first time ever, the Volusia County-run airport was ranked by the Federal Aviation Administration as the busiest in Florida in terms of most aircraft takeoffs and landings: 17,777 all told.
"This is the first time we've been No. 1 that we're aware of," said Karen Feaster, the airport's director. Feaster who was promoted to her current position in June has worked at the airport since 1992.
The increase was largely because of flight operations at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and takeoffs and landings by private planes. The two airlines that provide daily service at Daytona airport, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, accounted for 442 takeoffs and landings.
Ken Byrnes, chairman of the flight training department at Embry-Riddle, said the top state ranking for Daytona airport was likely "COVID-related — the fact that airline traffic has gone down nationally. Daytona is typically No. 4 in the state primarily because of flight training. Even though airline flights are down, pilots still need to be trained."
Passenger traffic numbers at Daytona airport remain significantly down compared to year-ago levels. Feaster nevertheless was encouraged to see the gap continue to gradually shrink.
In August, the airport counted 22,952 air travelers, up from 18,919 in July, 11,247 in June, and 10,927 in May, after seeing its numbers plunge to an all-time low of 4,338 in April.
In contrast, Orlando International Airport and Orlando Sanford International Airport both saw their passenger traffic numbers drop in August. Orlando counted 620,076, down from 625,318 in July, while Sanford counted 47,865, down from 70,662 the previous month.
Nationally, passenger traffic was down 73% in July from a year earlier, the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported on Sept. 8.
At Daytona airport, passenger traffic compared to the same month a year ago was down 68% in July and down 61% in August. Both are big improvements from the 93% plunge recorded in April.
The slow, but steadily rebounding passenger traffic numbers for Daytona airport come as American Airlines gets set to begin daily nonstop service to two new destinations in December.
American which currently offers multiple flights a day to its hub airport in Charlotte, North Carolina, recently announced plans to provide once-a-day nonstop service to Dallas/Fort Worth and Philadelphia, beginning Dec. 17 through April 5.
"They may find the Dallas service is working well and decide to continue beyond that ( April 5) date," said Joanne Magley, the airport's director of marketing and customer experience.
American suspended its once-a-week nonstop service to LaGuardia Airport in New York City in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. The airline has yet to restart that service.
Daytona airport is also awaiting the restart of Canadian airline Sunwing's nonstop service to Toronto. "They're currently not flying to the United States because of Canada's ban on non-essential travel to the U.S. which has been extended to at least Oct. 21," said Feaster.
Canada is a big source of visits here by vacationing snowbirds, some who stay for several months during the winter.
Terminal upgrades
The top state ranking for the airport also comes as the $14 million makeover of the main terminal nears completion. The project is the first significant remodel of the terminal since it opened in October 1992. The project has already completely transformed the lobby including the installation of new escalators and baggage check-in counters, a waterfall feature on both sides of the elevator shaft, and new seating throughout the terminal that include cell phone charging stations.
Other improvements include a new "mother's room" in the airport's concourse that including a diaper changing table, a newly renovated business center, as well as a makeover of the airport's two meeting spaces, the Dennis McGee Room on the second floor of the main terminal and the Airport Room, which is on the first floor at the end of the airline baggage check-in counters.
"We're saying that the (terminal makeover) project will be completed in January 2021 just to be safe, but it's pretty much been on track," said Feaster. "You're really starting to see it (take shape) now. I love it. We're thrilled. It's coming to life."
Sam Moye, an electrical engineer who lives in Virginia, used the newly renovated business center at Daytona airport on Thursday to do work on his laptop computer while waiting for his American Airlines flight to Charlotte.
"I was going to fly through Orlando, but the flight was a better fit for me here," he said of his first time flying out of Daytona airport. "I'm flying back home to Virginia to get my family. I got a job in Titusville."
Moye said he liked how quiet it was at Daytona airport compared to airports in big cities. "It's nice and it was convenient for me from Titusville," he said.
Bob Davis, CEO of the Lodging & Hospitality Association for Volusia County, said he is encouraged to see the improvements being made at Daytona airport.
The renovations include giving the terminal a brighter, more open look and feel as well as new flooring.
"I think it's gorgeous. It makes it look more warm, not just bricks and mortar. It's not just cold stucco," Davis said.
Meeting planners visit
The Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau on Wednesday hosted a virtual event where more than 100 meeting planners from across the county got a chance to see a video of the airport's renovations.
Feaster said she hopes the terminal makeover will encourage more people to fly to Daytona Beach, She also hopes more locals will choose to book flights to other parts of the country from here as opposed to flying out of Orlando.
"We've got a spacious airport here. With the pandemic, people want to have room. They don't want to be around big crowds," said Feaster. "Also the average TSA ( Transportation Safety Administration) wait time here is five minutes. The national average is 30 minutes."
Daytona airport officials conceded that it is difficult to compete with Orlando International Airport in terms of low air fares, but that it is possible in some cases to book flights here at comparable prices or even cheaper if done 30 to 60 days in advance.
"Our fares are lower than the national average, but Orlando is one of the lowest in the country," said Magley.
"When people realize how easy it is and how stress-free it is to fly out of Daytona, we find that most would rather have that convenience even if they have to pay a little bit extra," she said. Parking also is rarely an issue at Daytona airport, she added.
The airport has stepped up coronavirus safety measures, including the installation of plexiglass barriers at the baggage check-in and airline ticket counters, social distancing floor markings and hand sanitizer dispensers. The airport staff also hand out "DAB Cares Kits" to all out-going air travelers that include a 1-ounce bottle of hand sanitizer solution, and a cloth face covering.
Daytona airport will hold a TSA Precheck sign-up event Oct. 12-16 where people can enroll to be pre-screened so they can pass through security checkpoints at airports across the country even faster. The event will be from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday of that week.
To learn more about TSA Precheck including instructions on how to enroll, visit tsa.gov/tsa-precheck.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: FAA ranks Daytona as busiest airport in Florida for August
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