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MICHAEL SANDLERA consultant says European tourist charters now flying into Orlando may come to St. Petersburg-Clearwater.
CLEARWATER - A longer runway at St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport might help attract new charter flights, but the $13.1-million project would not guarantee new service at the area's second largest airport.
That's among the key findings a Cincinnati-based airport management consultant delivered Friday to Pinellas County officials.
John F. Brown Company Inc., said extending the runway from 8,800 to 10,000 feet would be a "critical prerequisite" if the county hoped to lure a share of European travelers who traditionally fly charter planes into Orlando but include a visit to Pinellas' beaches as part of their vacations.
County Administrator Steve Spratt commissioned the study last fall in the face of concerns raised by residents living in two neighboring communities that would be most affected by the airport's growth.
The consultant also cited a series of needed infrastructure improvements that would increase efficiency and help passengers move more quickly in and out of the airport. That includes finding more counter space for rental car companies, improving baggage services and expanding parking.
None of that would promise new business.
The consultant concludes that while there is not a trans-Atlantic charter tour operator "standing in the wings declaring a firm intent to begin operations" if the runway is extended, there is evidence of an interest on the part of some members of the industry to "explore the area further."
Airport director Noah Lagos said that's the nature of the airline industry. He notes that the airport's traffic has increased 60 percent in the last year, the highest ever and one that industry analysts would have been unlikely to predict.
"The aviation market is a changing, dynamic marketplace," Lagos said. "Long-range planning in the aviation market does not stretch over a two-year period."
Representatives from John F. Brown will present its findings to the county commissioners Tuesday. That is almost certain to revive a debate that escalated last summer between county officials who consider the airport a viable economic engine and neighboring communities that view it as a nuisance.
The consultant also is reviewing the county's proposed master plan that calls for investing up to $223-million in airport improvements over the next 20 years. A separate report is expected in the next few months, Spratt said.
The runway expansion, which has been approved by the commission, would cost approximately $13.1-million. Half of the cost - $6.5-million - is slated for safety improvements on the ends of the runway.
Most of the $6.6-million that would go toward the expansion would come from federal and state grants, the report notes. The local matching funds would be between $165,000 and $519,000, depending on the contractor's ability to stay within budget.
Besides making improvements, the consultant said the expansion would be a key strategy in chipping away at the number of travelers who fly into Orlando's two major airports.
Of the nearly 756,000 European travelers who visited the St. Petersburg-Clearwater area in 2002, nearly 60 percent flew into Orlando.
Thirty-three percent of those travelers flew into Tampa International. However, TIA does not take much charter service, focusing instead on larger, commercial carriers.
But those tourists likely would increase the number of low-flying planes over Safety Harbor and near Feather Sound. Residents in those communities have opposed the airport expansion, complaining of the noise and financial risk associated with the venture.
Kara Bauer, a Safety Harbor resident and a vocal opponent of the airport, wasn't surprised by the consultant's report. She doesn't accept it as an impartial study.
"Whatever happens, they are going to go ahead with this project and it is going to forever impact the life in North Pinellas," Bauer said. "That doesn't mean I'm going to go down without a fight."
- Michael Sandler can be reached at 445-4162 or sandler@sptimes.com