Passenger numbers soar at Grand Junction Regional Airport.

• Author: Kretschman, Bob
• Position: [TRANSPORTATION]

Spurred in part by the addition of new commercial flights to Texas, passenger numbers at Grand Junction Regional Airport were on track to set a record in 2008.

Through the end of October, more than 175,000 passengers had boarded flights at the airport, according to numbers compiled by airport officials. That figure exceeds the 169,000 commercial passengers in all of 2007. The airport's one-year passenger record is 180,564, reached in 1987 when Grand Junction was a hub for ski flights to Western Slope resorts.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

"We couldn't be happier with the numbers," said Airport Manager Rex Tippetts.

The Grand Junction area's energy-driven economy has much to do with the strong passenger numbers. A significant amount of business travel related to the oil and gas industry takes place between Grand Junction and Texas, where many energy companies are based. Those travelers filled seats on existing flights between Grand Junction and Denver, Phoenix and Salt Lake City, creating strong demand for more service, Tippetts said.

Airport officials commissioned a study about three years ago that named the top 20 places where people wanted to fly from Grand Junction. Airlines that served those markets were identified, and the airport courted the most likely prospects for providing additional service to Grand Junction. As a result of those efforts, American Eagle began serving Grand Junction with direct flights to Dallas/Fort Worth last April.

Tippetts said the airport temporarily waived fees and agreed to provide marketing help to attract American Eagle's service to Grand Junction. Mainly, however, airport officials persuaded the airline that existing demand would make Grand Junction service profitable.

"We want the...