Passenger numbers at Hollywood Burbank up; may reach 5 million by end of year
Hollywood Burbank Airport may reach the five-million passenger mark at the end of this year if traveling trends continue on an upward path.
Nerissa Sugars, the airport’s manager of air service development, told members of the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority during a meeting on Monday that 451,343 passengers went through the terminals in May, 47,821 more than the same month in 2017.
Sugars said earlier in the meeting it’s too early to tell if it will happen, but she received word from airport staff that Hollywood Burbank may have five million passengers at the end of the calendar year.
In February, airport officials reported about 4.7 million passengers in 2017, which was about 600,000 more than in 2016.
That’s a big improvement for the airport since the recession hit almost 10 years ago. Just four years ago, Hollywood Burbank tallied about 3.8 million passengers, according to airport statistics.
Southwest Airlines, the largest carrier operating at Hollywood Burbank, continued to see its numbers go up. There were 332,805 passengers in May, which was 28,682 more than the previous year.
United Airlines had its largest increase so far this year, reporting 34,411 passengers, a 8,504 hike from the previous year. Alaska Airlines had a similar improvement, reporting 50,753 passengers, a rise of 8,105 over last year.
American Airlines had its first sign of growth for 2018, reporting 14,452 passengers, a boost of 2,260 more than in 2017. Sugars said the increase was due to the carrier adding a fourth daily flight in its schedule.
Delta Airlines had a relatively flat month, reporting 10,528 passengers, just 340 more than last year. JetBlue Airways also fared the same, reporting 8,394 passengers, which was 70 passengers less than the year before.
Other airports in the region had positive outings in May. Los Angeles International Airport reported 7,544,734 passengers, an increase of 377,283 more than last year.
Ontario International Airport reported 438,974 passengers, a rise of 48,458 over the previous year.
Long Beach Airport reported 345,700 passengers in May, a hike of 34,975 from last year.
John Wayne Airport reported 915,833 passengers for the month, which was 36,932 more compared to last year.
Denis Carvill, Hollywood Burbank’s deputy executive director of engineering, maintenance, operations and airline relations, told authority members that parking is also starting to show signs of improvement.
He said parking revenue at the airport in May was roughly $1.84 million, which was about 200,000 more than the previous year.
Revenue from ride-sharing companies also saw a slight increase for the month. Mike Duong, the airport’s senior manager of business and compliance, said the airport received $255,549, an increase of $24,858 over last year, in ride-sharing fees.
anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com
Twitter: @acocarpio
