Airline cuts mean fuller planes

Although American has operated the same number of flights out of Bob Hope Airport for the past several years, authority figures show a 6.1% drop in seats filled. Nationally, the airline has small increases in capacity and miles traveled by passengers.

“Last year at this time, we were just starting our way upward from arguably the worst part of the recession in late 2009,” Smith said. “You can say we’re still in a hole, but you have to remember what you’re comparing it against.”

Despite the leaner times, airport authority officials say the figures are within what they had budgeted for.

After the first month of increasing parking fees by $1, revenue jumped to $1.57 million, similar to what it was in 2009. But that money has been earmarked to pay for litigation with Lockheed Martin over who should pay for contamination of underground water supplies.

The airport authority last month agreed to pay $2 million to settle with Lockheed Martin in exchange for a guarantee from the aerospace company that it will cover the cost of what could be an $108-million cleanup of contaminated groundwater under a portion of the airport.

The airport will continue to charge the increased parking fee for several years in order to cover legal costs and the $2-million settlement, airport authority Executive Director Dan Feger said.

“We are tracking very closely to what we budgeted,” said Feger. “And that’s a good thing.”