Sarasota-Bradenton airport passenger traffic up in January over December heraldtribune.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from heraldtribune.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Normally, Sarasota-Manatee has an idea of what seasonal business will look like by this time of year. Beaches are packed, travel plans are already booked and those who aren t here yet are dreaming of their upcoming vacations to Siesta Key or Anna Maria Island.
But this year, the answer to the question “what will season look like?” isn’t as clear.
After COVID-19 hit, the booking window for new trips to Manatee County shrunk dramatically, Anne Wittine, director of data analysis for Research Data Services in Tampa, told the Manatee County Tourist Development Council Feb. 1. Travelers, who mostly came from within driving distance, were booking last-minute trips – literally days before their date of arrival.
Glenda and Joe Padgett stood at gate B10 at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport on Sunday morning, wearing face masks and holding up “welcome” signs for Southwest Airlines made for them by a friend’s daughter.
There were a lot of people excitedly waiting for Southwest’s first-ever plane at Sarasota-Bradenton to land, which it did at 11:34 a.m. Sunday, but the Padgett family’s connection to the first-ever voyage was a little more personal.
Their son, Jared, is a Southwest employee who has worked as an in-flight scheduler for the airline for about five years. The Padgetts are now a “Southwest family,” Glenda said, and they have taken their fair share of maiden Southwest voyages.
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2 months ago Share St. Pete-Clearwater, Sarasota-Bradenton and Punta Gorda airports to participate in nonstop seasonal routes offered by low-cost carrier.
Allegiant Air has announced a series of new flights to and from a trio of area airports.
At the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, the Las Vegas-based carrier will begin offering a nonstop flight from the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport, in Little Rock, Ark., on May 27. The seasonal route will fly twice weekly, according to a statement.
“With its year-round sunshine, incredible beaches and attractions, St. Pete-Clearwater continues to be one of our most sought-after destinations,” says Drew Wells, Allegiant’s senior vice president of revenue, in the statement.