Orlando News
The Miami-based intercity train, which is working on a $4 billion expansion from Orlando International Airport to West Palm Beach, revealed in report on September that it would target reaching an agreement to develop a station in fourth-quarter of this year. Virgin Trains now is evaluating station sites in the area that may serve one or more theme parks in the area.
“As the busiest airport in Florida we continue to track and closely monitor our growing passenger totals,” says Phil Brown, Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority. “Not only is each monthly increase a travel record for us, it also re-affirms the value and importance of having the facilities and staff to meet the needs of business and leisure travelers to our region.”
Being able to move guests at a much faster rate would make vacations smoother and help improve the Orlando experience. “We’ve been working with U.S. Customs & Border Protection on a facial recognition system for international arrivals,” Brown said during Orlando Business Journal’s Feb. 8 Making the Connection: Smart Cities, Smarter Transportation luncheon at the airport. “The next step is to install a camera that actually can take a family at one time and process them in the system.”
The passenger numbers for 2018 have been counted and once again Orlando International Airport (MCO) is the busiest airport in the state of Florida with a record 47.7 million annual passengers, up 6.9 percent over 2017. MCO surpassed 150 non-stop domestic and international destinations in 2018, which contributed greatly to the airport’s increased airline activity, seat availability and passenger traffic numbers.
“This is a significant milestone in Orlando International Airport’s history because it shows the sustained strength of the Central Florida economy,” says Phil Brown, Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority. “With over 47 million annual passengers and growing, we must continue to plan and build for future growth, following the vision that was established more than three decades ago.”
Florida's geographic location makes it one of the primary logistics sites for any business seeking to access either the East Coast or Gulf Coast of the United States. Florida is the only state with seaport access in both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. In addition, Florida's location allows for cost-efficient access to the Caribbean and South America.
“We are on track to have a record breaking summer at Orlando International Airport. Our passenger growth is reflective of the value placed on this community by our travelers,” says Phil Brown, Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority. “At our current pace we should surpass 47 million annual passengers by the end of summer.”
“Orlando International is busier than we have ever been before, we are also now the busiest airport in the state of Florida. With our balanced increase in both domestic and international visitors, 2017 proved to be yet another record breaking year, reflecting the dynamic business activity of the region,” says Frank Kruppenbacher, Chairman of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.
