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Passenger and cargo down for year-to-date 2026; board updates on FTZ approvals and FBO lease transfer
Summary
Staff reported passenger counts below last year and cargo down about 11% year over year; council-approved transfer of Barker FBO to Freeman Holdings and FTZ operator approvals and application backlogs in Washington were highlighted by staff.
Airport staff reported that year‑to‑date passenger totals for 2026 are currently below the same period in 2025 (51,699 vs. roughly 54,000), and that American Airlines continues to account for the largest share of flights by frequency.
Cargo activity has declined compared with last year. "We have a total of 191 million pounds landed so far versus 214 from last year — an 11% decrease," staff said. The board noted that the drop was concentrated among smaller charter cargo operators while UPS and FedEx remained stable.
Staff also reported activity in foreign‑trade/FTZ processing: the airport has 69 operators and 83 sites in its directory; three new FTC sites (identified as sites 75–77 in the staff report) were approved in the last month and several other operator applications have been sent to the national foreign‑trade zone board for study and approval. Dr. Chapler said approval delays are driven in part by backlogs at the national board and limited staff in Washington.
The board was updated on aeronautical property leasing: council approved the transfer of the Barker FBO lease to Freeman Holdings, which intends to expand and operate a premium FBO brand on airport property within roughly an 18‑month horizon after contracts are finalized. Staff said FIS (private flights/inspection services) activity remains steady at ~365 private operations this year.
Why it matters: Passenger and cargo trends affect airline schedules and revenue; FTZ approvals and FBO operations influence cargo and general aviation services. The Barker-to-Freeman transfer signals a potential change in fixed‑base operations and ground services that may affect tenants and users.
Next steps: Staff will continue to monitor carrier equipment plans, follow up on FTZ applications with the national board, and return with lease updates as Freeman completes contract signing.
Sources: Passenger and cargo figures, FTZ site counts and FBO lease update were presented by Mr. Sanchez, Manuel and Dr. Chapler during the meeting.
