By Daniel Stefanski |
A Phoenix-area airport is celebrating a historic year of operations in the Valley of the Sun.
Last week, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport announced that it had “set a new record for commercial passenger activity – its busiest year ever.”
Gateway Airport noted that almost two million (1,917,911) passengers were welcomed in Fiscal Year 2023 – 5.6% above the number of passengers in Fiscal Year 2022.
The Chairman of the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority Board of Directors, Apache Junction Mayor Chip Wilson, praised the news from the airport, saying, “The growth of Gateway Airport over the past few years has been phenomenal. The Airport’s continued growth is providing tremendous economic benefit for the entire greater Phoenix region. We look forward to welcoming even more sun-seeking visitors through the Airport this year.”
J. Brian O’Neill, A.A.E. Executive Director/CEO of Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority, also contributed a statement to the announcement, thanking everyone who had made this historic year possible for his airport: “More and more air travelers are discovering the value and convenience of using Gateway Airport. The Airport would like to thank its airline partners, airport tenants, and our passengers for helping make FY23 a record year.”
According to Gateway Airport, it recently “opened several new food and beverage concessions to provide more options for the growing number of air travelers choosing the Airport.” Also, “the Airport is currently constructing a 5-Gate, 30,000 sq. ft. terminal addition and an enclosed pedestrian walkway connecting the airline ticket counters to the TSA Screening Checkpoint.”
Earlier this year, Gateway Airport announced that it welcomed 1,890,684 passengers in 2022, which was its best year ever (6.5% over its previously high number in 2019). Gilbert Mayor Brigette Peterson said at the time, “More and more Arizona residents, along with out-of-state, sun-loving travelers are choosing Gateway Airport for their flight needs because of its exceptional value and convenience.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
