Sarasota Bradenton International Airport

Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (IATA: SRQ, ICAO: KSRQ, FAA LID: SRQ) is an airport located between Bradenton and Sarasota, Florida. The airport is shared by both Manatee County (airfield) and Sarasota County (terminal). Most airlines refer to the airport on destination maps and flight status displays as just "Sarasota", as that is the more widely known city. The airport is usually referred to locally as "SRQ" (the airport code). A large portion of the airport's commercial airline service occurs during the winter and spring months, as the area is a popular tourist destination and seasonal home for snowbirds during the winter and spring months.

Recent history

Air Force One was at the airport on September 11, 2001. George W. Bush was at the Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota when Andrew Card first informed him of the September 11, 2001 attacks at 9:05 AM. Bush returned to the airport. It taxied at 9:54 AM and lifted off at 9:55 AM flying first to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.

Like many mid-sized American airports, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport experienced financial woes in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Additionally, two airlines servicing SRQ, Canada 3000 and Canadian Airlines, ceased operations, the first bankrupt and the second acquired by Air Canada.

However, in 2003, AirTran Airways began service as the result of a nationwide marketing poll sponsored by the airline. The poll's results indicated that Sarasota-Bradenton was one of several smaller airports that AirTran's customers would prefer the airline service. Consequently, AirTran added service to Atlanta-Hartsfield/Jackson, and Baltimore-Washington International, and as of 2005 the airline serves five U.S. destinations with non-stop flights from SRQ.

Financial concerns were faced again in September 2005, when Delta Air Lines, the carrier with the largest market share out of SRQ [1], filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. While initially there was great concern regarding Delta's bankruptcy filing's effect on the financial stability of the airport, especially if Delta were to have reduced local operations, in fact Delta has since announced new service out of SRQ, which included expanded service to Atlanta, and new service to New York's LaGuardia Airport, and Boston's Logan International Airport. All of that service was cut back or discontinued, but new winter/spring seasonal service to Boston and LaGuardia was recently announced by Delta.

Facilities and aircraft

Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport covers an area of 1,102 acres (446 ha) which contains two asphalt paved runways: 14/32 measuring 9,500 x 150 ft (2,896 x 46 m) and 4/22 measuring 5,009 x 150 ft (1,527 x 46 m).

For the 12-month period ending October 31, 2006, the airport had 163,870 aircraft operations, an average of 448 per day: 82% general aviation, 9% scheduled commercial, 7% air taxi, 2% military. At that time there were 266 aircraft based at this airport: 71% single-engine, 17% multi-engine, 9% jet and 3% helicopter.

Airlines and destinations

Main Terminal (B Gates)

World War II

Leased to the Army Air Corps in early 1942, the newly constructed Sarasota Bradenton Airport became Sarasota Army Airfield. Initially a 620-acre facility, the Army added 250 acres to the site in the course of its use. The 97th Bombardment Group transferred in March 1942 from MacDill in Tampa to begin training on the B-17 Flying Fortress. Designated a sub-base of MacDill in June of that year, the base soon changed focus from bombers to fighters. Because the runways could not withstand the weight of the bombers, the 69th Fighter Squadron transferred to Sarasota from Drew Army Airfield in Tampa to train on P-39 Airacobras.

Sub-bases to Sarasota AAF were located at Bartow, St. Petersburg, Fort Myers, and Tampa, while airfields at Immokalee, Lake Wales, Punta Gorda and Winter Haven served as auxiliary fields.

Location & QuickFacts

FAA Information Effective:	2007-01-18
Airport Identifier:	SRQ
Airport Status:	Operational
Longitude/Latitude:	082-33-15.8000W/27-23-43.6000N -82.554389/27.395444 (Estimated)
Elevation:	30 ft / 9.14 m (Surveyed)
Land:	1102 acres
From nearest city:	3 nautical miles N of Sarasota/bradenton, FL
Location:	Sarasota County, FL
Magnetic Variation:	02W (1985)

Owner & Manager

Ownership:	Publicly owned
Owner:	Sarasota Manatee Arpt Authority
Address:	6000 Airport Circle Sarasota, FL 34243-2105
Phone number:	941-359-5200
Manager:	Fred Piccolo
Address:	6000 Airport Circle Sarasota, FL 34243-2105
Phone number:	941-359-5200

Airport Operations and Facilities

Airport Use:	Open to public
Wind indicator:	Yes
Segmented Circle:	No
Control Tower:	Yes
Lighting Schedule:	DUSK-DAWN WHEN ATCT CLSD ACTVT HIRL RYS 04/22 & 14/32, PAPI RYS 04, 22, 14 & 32, REIL RY 22 AND MALSR RYS 14 & 32 - CTAF.
Beacon Color:	Clear-Green (lighted land airport)
Landing fee charge:	No
Sectional chart:	Miami
Region:	ASO - Southern
Traffic Pattern Alt:	1000 ft
Boundary ARTCC:	ZMA - Miami
Tie-in FSS:	PIE - Saint Petersburg
FSS on Airport:	No
FSS Toll Free:	1-800-WX-BRIEF
NOTAMs Facility:	SRQ (NOTAM-d service avaliable)
Certification type/date:	I C S 05/1973
Federal Agreements:	NGRVY3

Airport Communications

CTAF:	120.100
Unicom:	122.950

Airport Services

Fuel available:	100LLA
Airframe Repair:	MAJOR
Power Plant Repair:	MAJOR
Bottled Oxygen:	HIGH/LOW
Bulk Oxygen:	HIGH/LOW

Runway Information

Runway 04/22

Runway 14/32

Radio Navigation Aids

Remarks

Major Carriers Serving This Airport