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Fewer flights, bigger aircraft
While the number of aircraft using Martha's Vineyard airport decreased in the past year, the number of commercial passengers remained nearly the same, according to the latest statistics prepared by the airport. The statistics in general reflect fewer, but larger, commercial aircraft, carrying about the same number of people.
"U.S. Airways' numbers are actually up, while Cape Air's were down a little bit," said airport manager Sean Flynn, speaking of the two commercial carriers with regular flights scheduled at the airport. "If you look at U.S. Airways numbers for July and August, they were higher than last year. We're encouraged about that."
For the 12-month period ending on August 31, U.S. Airways carried 7,675 passengers, an increase of 673 passengers, or nine percent over the same period a year earlier.
Cape Air carried 37,903 people to or from Martha's Vineyard for the statistical period, a decrease of 709 people, or 1.8 percent from the year before.
There were 51,509 aircraft "events" (generally a landing or a take-off) for the period ending in August, a decrease of three percent over the previous period. Those totals include both commercial, privately owned, and military aircraft.
In July and August of this year, the airport's two busiest months, an aircraft took off or landed from the airport every 4.7 minutes, on average.
In the future, records will show the type and size of aircraft using Martha's Vineyard Airport. "The numbers don't always tell the story," said Mr. Flynn. "The airport has, since May, been tracking the type of aircraft using the facility by size. This will be our baseline year."
