Airport Experience News Fall 2022

DIRECTOR’S CHAIR

SUNSHINE DESTINATION Siegel Is Leading RSW To New Heights With $1.5 Billion Capital Program

BY C AROL WARD

ditor’s Note: Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) experienced only a dip in passenger traffic during the pandemic. While 2020 was an off year, by 2021 the airport was back to setting passenger volume records. With growth comes congestion, a fact that has prompted a major terminal expansion project that is expected to transform the traveler experience. Leading the airport through this transition is Ben Siegel, the executive director of the Lee County Port Authority. Siegel is responsible for the administration, operations and development of RSW and Page Field (FMY) in Fort Myers, Florida. He has served as the executive director since January 2021 and been with LCPA since 1992. AXN’s Carol Ward spoke with Siegel about his vision for the airport going forward. E

WARD: Let’s talk about RSW’s passenger numbers. You’ve experienced strong growth even with the pandemic. What’s the latest? SIEGEL: We started breaking records very early on during the pandemic and are breaking records once again. For example, 2019 was our busiest year in the history of the airport, pre-pandemic. Of course, 2020 had a little bit of a downturn but 2021 was our busiest year again in the history of the airport, and 2022 will be the busiest year in the history of the airport once again. We’ve had some months during 2022 that have broken all-time records in our 40-year history. Things are really booming here in Southwest Florida, and I know they’re booming in the state of Florida. Florida is no stranger to the growth post-pandemic, and honestly through the pandemic. WARD: Do you expect that to continue or are you still feeling pandemic fallout? In other words, looking ahead to ‘23, ‘24, ‘25, do you think passenger numbers will continue to grow? SIEGEL: We’re expecting to continue to grow, although not double-digit growth that we’re experiencing right now. For 2022,

we’re running about 11% up over 2021. For our projections, we’re falling back into the more conservative 3% range. It’s really hard to predict exactly what the airlines are going to push for in terms of capacity here. We do know that with the new concourse coming online in the next few years, that will be a tremendous opportunity for significant growth again. WARD: You have a huge project ahead of you in the terminal expansion project that’s recently been given the green light. Can you give me an overview? SIEGEL: The airport prior to the pandemic experienced a tremendous amount of growth, and we thought during the pandemic we might see a little bit of a reprieve, if you will. However, that was very short term, and our Capital Improvement Program continues to be very robust. It probably sits at about $1.5 billion. The first capital improvement project that we have going on right now is our Phase 1 Terminal Expansion project. I consider that to be the first step to really changing the guest experience completely at the Southwest Florida International Airport.

Above: Ben Siegel, executive director, Lee County Port Authority.

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