For the second month in a row, passenger traffic at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) remained at 43 percent of the 2019 level due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Passengers totaled 58,115 for August 2020, compared to 135,467 passengers in August 2019.  Year-to-date figures show that airport passenger traffic is down 34 percent compared to 2019, with 834,545 passengers using the airport so far this year.

Still, despite the ongoing effects of Covid-19, SRQ continues to outpace the national average. Nationwide, TSA reports the screening checkpoint throughput for August is at 29 percent of the 2019 level, and airlines that serve SRQ continue to bring back flights that were either temporarily suspended or were only seasonal. This month, Allegiant Air will resume service to two destinations, including Des Moines, IA (DSM) and Chicago Rockford, IL (RFD). In October, JetBlue returns with flights to Boston, MA (BOS), New York, NY (JFK) and Newark, NJ (EWR).  Allegiant will resume nonstop service to Nashville, (BNA), United will resume nonstop service to Washington-Dulles (IAD), and Air Canada starts up nonstop service to Toronto (YYZ).

Safety measures the airport has put in place include plastic shields at all customer service counters, touchless hand sanitizer stations, social distancing markers in queuing lines, courtesy thermal temperature scanners, and increased janitorial staff to clean high-touch surfaces.  Employees, tenants, and passengers are also wearig protective face coverings.