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Huntsville International Airport continues on a record pace for air travel for a third consecutive year. So far, not even the federal government shutdown seems to be slowing down passenger travel through the airport, Huntsville International Airport CEO Butch Roberts said Tuesday. “We’re on pace to have record year if everything stays where it is now,” he said. “Even with the government shutdown, we’re still running in really good shape. We have not seen a big drop off.” So far, almost 1.3 million passengers have traveled through Huntsville this year, surpassing the 1.2 million for the same period in 2024, an increase of 6.8%. Huntsville International Airport set annual passenger records in 2023 (1,473,629) and 2024 (1,635,589). There were 149,114 passengers through the airport last month, an increase of 7.5% over September 2024’s total of 138,705 passengers. It was the sixth straight month the airport surpassed 2024’s numbers, and eighth out of the nine months so far. Roberts said Huntsville’s growth and the diversification of the local economy seems to be enough to offset effects of the government shutdown. In years past, government travel accounted for a significant amount of traffic through the airport. But leisure traffic has picked up since the Covid-19 pandemic. Airport management also attributes passenger traffic growth to a combination of other factors including having a greater number of seats available for purchase, the availability of more flights, the addition of daily nonstop service to Orlando on Breeze Airways and daily nonstop service to New York City on Delta Air Lines, as well as the return of twice weekly nonstop service to Los Angeles (LAX) on Breeze. In addition to passenger travel, Roberts also said the shutdown has had a minimal effect on the overall operations at the airport. “Right now, they are doing everything they need to do to keep us running,” he said of the air traffic controllers, TSA and Customs and Border Protection personnel who work at the airport and intermodal facility despite not receiving paychecks. “We appreciate what they do,” Roberts said. “They have three large operations here. They are still going.” Roberts said the airport is looking for ways to help the government workers during the shutdown, including providing food, which he said other airports have done as well. “We have a lot of people who have volunteered to help,” he said. Board approves parking deck expansion The Board of Directors of the Port of Huntsville approved the expansion of the airport’s parking deck on Tuesday. The $57 million project will add more than 1,400 spaces. The parking deck currently holds 2,394 vehicles. “As our community grows, it’s more important than ever for the airport to meet increasing demand by seeking to expand air service and enhancing amenities,” said Joey Ceci, Board Chair for the Port of Huntsville. “This ensures that we continue to deliver the convenience and exceptional service our passengers expect.” Construction on the parking deck expansion is expected to begin before year’s end and will take two years to complete. Robins & Morton is the building contractor; KPS has provided design services. During the build phase, customers can expect changes in traffic patterns around the construction zone, adjacent to the inbound side of Glenn Hearn Blvd. “We’re excited that growing demand to fly through HSV has given us the opportunity to expand with a larger parking deck,” Roberts said. “Our business travelers especially enjoy the short walk from a covered parking space to the terminal.” Robins & Morton recently completed a $14 million main concourse renovation at the airport and is also the contractor for the $14.4 million, 21,000-square-foot Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Station. The project is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2027.
