(KTTS News) — The Springfield-Branson National Airport says a record number of passengers went through the airport last month.

In March, the airport set a record with 97,457 passengers.

That’s the most during the month of March since 2019, when 90,895 passengers used the airport.

Spokesman Kent Boyd says during the early days of the pandemic travel was down 94 percent.

But things have changed.

He credits the apparent winding down of the pandemic in the United States, a strong local economy, and pent-up travel demand.

Edited Press Release

Airline passenger growth at the Springfield airport may have recovered from the downturn caused by the pandemic.

In March, the airport set a record for the month with 97,457 total passengers.

Two years ago, during the early days of the pandemic, travel was down 94 percent.

Since then business has slowly recovered, and in recent months the upturn has been more pronounced.

Several factors contribute to the increase.

They include the apparent winding down of the pandemic in the United States, a strong local economy, and pent-up travel demand.

“The non-business traveler is definitely part of pentup demand,” says Kent Boyd, airport spokesman. “Folks haven’t traveled for the past two years. They want to get out of town and go on vacation. They want to visit family.”

Demand is surging despite higher fares and problems with airline operations.

During the early days of the pandemic, airlines mothballed airplanes and reduced staff.

Now, with the increase in demand, they’re working to put planes and crews back in the
air as soon as possible.

It’s a challenge made worse by a pilot shortage that’s been growing for the past decade.

The result is that airlines have fewer flights in the air than they’d like to.

For example, in mid-April Allegiant Air reduced its Springfield summer schedule 15 to 20 percent citing “limited crew resources.”

Allegiant made similar reductions nationwide.

March 2022 Best in Airport’s History
Month Total Passengers

• March 2013  65,185
• March 2014  71,561
• March 2015  72,192
• March 2016  69,688
• March 2017  78,445
• March 2018  85,109
• March 2019  90,895
• March 2020  51,065
• March 2021  65,308
• March 2022  97,457 *
  * Record number of passengers for the
  month of March