HIA Passes FAA Certification Inspection

(Middletown, PA – June 28, 2017) Earlier this week Harrisburg International Airport (HIA) was notified the airport passed its annual Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Certification Inspection with no discrepancies.

“Passing this inspection with no discrepancies is a great accomplishment for the Airport Operations, Fire, and Maintenance Departments at HIA,” said Timothy Edwards, Executive Director of the Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority (SARAA), who owns and operates HIA. “This inspection indicates that HIA is operating in compliance with FAA certification requirements and is providing a safe operating environment for the aircraft, pilots, crew, and passengers who use our facility on a daily basis.”

The part 139 FAA inspection is an annual inspection required of all commercial service airports in the United States. FAA safety and standards inspectors review and study hundreds of items such as documentation for the operation of the information systems used to notify pilots of airport conditions, fuel farm inspections, fire department emergency preparedness and training, and maintenance of the runway and taxiways including pavement and lighting.

New Parking Management Agreement

The SARAA Board approved a new five-year contract with Republic Parking Systems, LLC for parking management and shuttle operation services at Harrisburg International Airport.  SARAA will continue to be responsible for all direct expenses related to parking lot operation plus a management fee of $60,000 annually.

SARAA and HIA Firefighter extend agreement

The Board also approved the second renewal of the Collective Bargain Agreement between the Authority and the HIA Fire Department.  The agreement is retroactive to November 1, 2016 and will continue until December 31, 2021.  A starting wage of $17.00 per hour has been established and firefighters will now earn wage increases based on annual performance reviews utilizing the range approved for non-union SARAA employees.

Traffic flat in May

In May, Allegiant, American and Delta Air Lines all posted increased passenger traffic, compared to May 2016. A total of 105,953 passengers used HIA in May, down 0.2 percent compared to May of last year.  2017 Year-to-Date traffic remains 6.5 percent ahead of 2016.

The next SARAA Board meeting will take place on Wednesday, July 26, 2017, at 8:00 am, in the David C. McIntosh Boardroom, located on the third floor of the HIA terminal building.