Sarasota airport finally getting some attention

By STEVE HUETTEL
Published July 10, 2006

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Sarasota's airport has long struggled to persuade residents to fly out of their hometown airport instead of driving north for cheaper fares.

More than 2.4-million people from Sarasota and Manatee counties flew from Tampa International in 2005, nearly twice the passengers Sarasota Bradenton International had.

But the underdog made big strides in June. US Airways decided to launch the first flights from Sarasota to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Aug. 15. And then JetBlue Airways said it will touch down in Sarasota, starting Sept. 21 with one daily flight to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.

That will give the airport two discount carriers. AirTran Airways arrived in December 2004 and helped boost passenger traffic in Sarasota 18 percent in its first full year.

Airlines like Sarasota because they can charge a higher fare - maybe $20 or $30 more than from Tampa - because locals save the cost of driving and parking, says Frederick Piccolo, the airport's chief executive.

"As we started to grow, we've shown there is a separate and distinct market in Sarasota/Bradenton and can support service in our own market."