BWI Airport Sets All-Time Passenger Record

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A new all-time record for annual passenger traffic was set at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

Governor Martin O'Malley announced Monday that more than 21 million commercial passengers flew through BWI in 2010, an increase of 4.7 percent over 2009.

"This new record is an important milestone that reflects the strength and the success of Maryland," said O'Malley.  "BWI Marshall Airport is a valuable transportation and economic development asset for the state of Maryland and the entire national capital region.  This record passenger traffic demonstrates that our investments in airport facilities and our focus on customer service continue to produce substantial dividends for Maryland."
 
Southwest Airlines and Airtran Airways, BWI's top two leading carriers, each increased their passenger service by 7.4 percent from 2009 and added several new destinations, including Los Angeles and Seattle. The two airlines totaled almost 70 percent of the airport's passenger market share for 2010.

Other airlines at BWI that had significant increases in passenger traffic for 2010 included Air Canada, American Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and US Airways.

In February 2010, BWI was recognized by Airports Council International as the top performing airport in the Airport Service Quality survey program among worldwide airports with 15-25 million passengers.  In November 2010, it received a second place award in the "Best Food and Beverage Program" category at the Excellence in Airport Concessions Contest, sponsored by Airports Council International-North America.

"BWI Marshall Airport continues to attract passengers by offering excellent customer service, affordable airfares, and the benefits of an efficient travel experience," said Paul J. Wiedefeld, Executive Director of BWI. "We remain committed to serving our travelers with outstanding service and friendly facilities."