Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport
IATA: AVP – ICAO: KAVP – FAA LID: AVP AVP Location of airport in Pennsylvania
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties
Serves	Wilkes-Barre – Scranton
Location	Pittston Township, Pennsylvania
Elevation AMSL	962 ft / 293 m
Coordinates	41°20′18″N 075°43′24″W / 41.33833°N 75.72333°W
Website	www.FlyAVP.com
Runways
Statistics (2006)
Aircraft operations	78,937
Based aircraft	30
	Source: Federal Aviation Administration

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (IATA: AVP, ICAO: KAVP, FAA LID: AVP) is an airport located in Pittston Township, Pennsylvania, USA, near the border of Luzerne County and Lackawanna County, halfway between the cities of Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. The airport advertises itself as "your gateway to Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Pocono Mountains".^[2]

History [edit]

In the past, the airport had flights carrying cargo to and from Canada, which was enough to be granted "international" status. These flights no longer exist, but the "international" status, granted in 1975, remains because the airport has a full-time U.S. Customs office.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport is the fifth largest airport in Pennsylvania measured by passenger boarding. It is smaller than PHL-Philadelphia, PIT-Pittsburgh, MDT-Harrisburg, and ABE-Allentown, Bethlehem & Easton but larger than UNV-Penn State, ERI-City of Erie, LBE- Latrobe and IPT-Williamsport.

Besides hosting regional airline services to major hubs, the airport has had many special visitors over the past decade. Air Force One has landed with Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama for fundraisers and campaign trips throughout northeastern Pennsylvania. A charter plane carrying Hillary Clinton also used the airport during her presidential campaign in 2008.

In May 2006, the airport completed an $80 million construction project on an entirely new terminal and parking garage. The new terminal, designed by HNTB, has many conveniences such as jetways, a bigger waiting area, more gates and a shopping and dining area.^[3]

Another project that was completed in late 2011 was the construction of a new control tower and Tracon facility. The old tower had a blocked view of the second runway because of the new terminal and was scheduled to be replaced anyway. The project cost $18.8 million funded by the federal stimulus package. The tower opened on August 29, 2012, with all 25 current controllers staying on to work in the new facility.^[4]

Facilities and aircraft [edit]

Terminal buildings as seen from the air

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport covers an area of 905 acres (366 ha) which contains two asphalt paved runways:

4/22 measuring 7,501 × 150 ft (2,286 × 46 m)
10/28 measuring 4,300 × 150 ft (1,311 × 46 m).^[1]

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2006, the airport had 78,937 aircraft operations, an average of 216 per day: 71% general aviation, 28% scheduled commercial, 1% military and <1% air taxi. There are 30 aircraft based at this airport: 60% single engine, 20% multi-engine, 13% jet aircraft and 7% helicopters.^[1]

General aviation on the field is serviced by the fixed base operator (FBO) Saker Aviation Services, formerly FirstFlight.

Airlines and destinations [edit]

A Continental Connection plane being serviced at the new terminal

Airlines	Destinations
Allegiant Air	Orlando-Sanford
Delta Connection operated by ExpressJet	Atlanta
Delta Connection operated by Chautauqua Airlines	Detroit
Delta Connection operated by Pinnacle Airlines	Detroit
United Express operated by CommutAir	Newark
United Express operated by ExpressJet	Chicago-O'Hare
US Airways Express operated by Air Wisconsin	Charlotte, Philadelphia
US Airways Express operated by Mesa Airlines	Charlotte
US Airways Express operated by Piedmont Airlines	Philadelphia
US Airways Express operated by PSA Airlines	Charlotte^[5]

Flight routes [edit]

**All Routes Out of Wilkes Barre/Scranton Airport**
(Jan 2012 – Dec 2012) ^[6]
Rank	City	Passengers	Carriers
1	Philadelphia, PA: PHL	52,450	US Airways Express
2	Detroit, MI: DTW	45,020	Delta Air Lines Connection
3	Charlotte, NC: CLT	41,550	US Airways Express
4	Chicago, IL : ORD	26,600	United Airlines Express
5	Newark, NJ: EWR	24,460	United Airlines Express
6	Atlanta, GA: ATL	18,250	Delta Air Lines Connection
7	Orlando, FL: SFB	6,630	Allegiant Air