More than a Half-Million Passengers Flew Through Ontario International Airport in Aug.

More than half a million airline passengers flew through Ontario International Airport (ONT) in Aug., a 10 percent increase over Aug. last year, airport officials announced.

For the month, ONT welcomed more than 504,000 air travelers, with domestic passengers totaling nearly 479,000 and the number of international travelers exceeding 25,000. Domestic and international passenger volumes grew 9.9 percent and 13.3 percent in Aug., respectively.

From Jan. through Aug., the total number of passengers who arrived at and departed from ONT was almost 3.6 million, an increase of 7.5 percent over the same period in 2018. Domestic travelers totaled nearly 3.4 million, an increase of 6 percent, while the number of international passengers rose 43 percent to more than 200,000 over the first eight months of the year.

“The continued growth in passenger volume is a great source of pride for all of us who are dedicated to developing a first-rate international gateway for Southern California,” said Mark Thorpe, chief executive officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority. “That more and more travelers are choosing Ontario reflects the tremendous achievements made to provide the facilities, services and amenities, along with our hallmark hassle-free experience, which appeal to our customers.”

Air freight shipments were essentially flat in August at 65,514 tons, outpacing August last year by 28 tons, while mail shipments decreased by 45 percent. For the first eight months of the year, commercial freight grew 3.6 percent to more than 479,000 tons while mail shipments declined more than 17 percent. Overall, air cargo shipments were up 2.7 percent compared to the same period a year ago.