Oakland Airport Passenger Activity Increased By 10.5 Percent In August

OAKLAND, CA — Passenger activity at the Oakland International Airport increased by 10.5 percent in August compared to the same month last year, airport officials said. That increase is based on there being 5.3 percent more flights and 7.3 percent more seats available than at the same time last year, according to airport officials.

The 1,226,648 total passengers who used the airport in August meant that the airport marked its 45th consecutive month of passenger gains and recorded its second busiest month of passenger traffic since August 2007, which is the busiest month the airport has ever recorded.

Airport officials said August was the sixth consecutive month of passenger traffic above 1 million this year and a record 87,475 international passengers traveled through the airport during the month, representing a 155
percent increase over last year.

They said the totals reflect a doubling of international passenger traffic by Norwegian, and new operations by Southwest, Volaris, LEVEL, and British Airways. Airport officials said domestic passenger volume increased by 5.9 percent in August, highlighted by a 40 percent increase in traffic by Spirit Airlines, which added summer seasonal flights between Oakland and Baltimore/Washington D.C., Detroit, Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport.

In addition, Southwest added new transcontinental service to the New York area's Newark Liberty International Airport.

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"We are extremely pleased with the continued strong passenger traffic increases at Oakland International Airport, both domestically and internationally," Port of Oakland Director of Aviation Bryant Francis said in a statement.

Francis said, "We are encouraged to see a robust response to new transatlantic and transcontinental flights as we continue working to expand service offerings in key markets."

Oakland airport officials said that in the last year they have added new international service to Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos by Southwest and to London, Copenhagen and Barcelona by Norwegian. They said British Airways and LEVEL also began service in the last year, to London and Barcelona, respectively.
Airport officials said international passenger growth is expected to continue in 2018 with new service to Rome and Paris operated by Norwegian.

By Bay City News

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