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From Jan. 1, 2008, until the end of September, a period of 21 months, 134,000 passengers arrived at our airport. These people came on commercial planes with less than full loads due to our short runway length, commensurate with temperature, airplane specifications and other factors.
We believe this number of incoming people is a definite economic stimulus to this town of 34,000 people, and forward thinkers should be making plans to increase the number of passengers.
We are quite sure that towns of equal size would love to have this boost to their local businesses.
Here are more data. For fiscal year July 2007 to June 2008, Beaufort County received $498,764 in rental car fees from the airport's operations, and from July 2008 to June 2009, it received $412,203, for a total of $910,967. For the two years, the county received $43,681 for airline counter space and $36,514 for parking lot spaces.
We have taken the initiative to have conversations with airline managers. They tell us they would like the airport owner to lengthen the runway and remove the obstructions (trees) so they can fill up their planes. They love Hilton Head as a market.
John Morrissette
Hilton Head Island
