Fresno Yosemite International Airport Celebrates Historic Year of Passenger Traffic

FRESNO, CA (February 8, 2017) – Passenger traffic for Fresno Yosemite International Airport reached a historic new level in 2016 with 1,540,623 departing and arriving passengers.  The milestone year represents a 10 percent increase in travelers served in 2016 compared to 2015 totals and significantly outperforms the previous record held in 2014 by nearly 100,000 passengers.

Airline transitions to larger jet aircraft fleets combined with extra flights during peak travel seasons resulted in an 8.5 percent growth in domestic passengers and an impressive 21 percent growth in international passengers over 2015.  Fresno Yosemite International Airport is currently ranked fourth in the nation for carrying passengers between Fresno and Guadalajara, Mexico.

“Fresno Yosemite International Airport has a robust mix of airline choices and popular destinations, and is easy and convenient to use,” said Director of Aviation Kevin Meikle.  “The Airport’s historic year of passenger traffic is the result of our airline partners’ continued confidence in the Fresno market as well as travelers from our community and the Central Valley choosing Fresno Yosemite International Airport as their gateway to the world.”

Fresno Yosemite International Airport initiated and completed a number of customer service programs and facility upgrades over the past year to enhance the travel experience including:

•    Launch of a Customer Service Ambassador Program to assist passengers with the travel process, making contact with their airline, and navigating the airport
•    Construction of an expanded cell phone waiting area to provide convenient parking just seconds from the airport terminal to accommodate family and friends who are picking up arriving passengers
•    Installation of Electric Vehicle charging stations in the public and employee parking lots, and in the operations area for airline ground support equipment
•    Increased the capacity of the long term parking lot
•    Delivery of a new Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting vehicle to support airport public safety emergency response
•    Reconstruction of the commercial aviation ramp on the west side of the terminal, including the installation of in-ground power and other infrastructure to enhance airline operational efficiency
•    Launch of a restaurant and wine bar concept by HMSHost with a new John Muir Grille menu inspired by wines and beers produced in the Central Valley region

The recent launch of a Fresno Yosemite International Airport Master Plan Update is timely following sustained growth since the Great Recession and the 2016 record-setting year.  The Master Plan Update will evaluate how the airport will accommodate passenger demand over the next five, ten, and twenty years.

Fresno Yosemite International Airport currently offers Valley passengers daily non-stop flights to Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Guadalajara, Mexico on domestic and international carriers.  Fresno Yosemite International Airport is a municipally owned entity operating as a self-supporting enterprise. No City of Fresno general funds are used to operate Fresno Yosemite International Airport or Fresno Chandler Executive Airport.

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