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Sea-Tac Airport Breaks Records for Passenger Traffic in 2011

Direct News Source

26-Jan-2012 A record 32.8 million passengers passed through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in 2011, a four percent increase from 2010.

Included in that number were nearly 3 million international passengers, the most ever in the airport's history."Sea-Tac is a vital gateway to the region for business travelers and tourists alike," said Port of Seattle President Gael Tarleton. "We are committed to supporting its growth while balancing the needs of both the environment and the community.

"The record number of passengers matters because it means more jobs," said CEO Tay Yoshitani. "Nearly 90,000 people have jobs that are generated by airport activities. Steady growth, coupled with a commitment to environmental sustainability, is very good news for the region."

The total 2011 passenger figure of 32,819,796 beat the previous record set in 2008, and far exceeded the one percent increase the port had forecasted for the year.

"The increase in passengers demonstrates how Sea-Tac Airport is a major economic engine for the region," said Mark Reis, Managing Director of Sea-Tac Airport. "The entire team at the airport works to give every passenger great service from parking to plane, and it's exciting to see that service yield record results."

The port's seaport cargo facilities also had a strong 2011, handling just over two million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) - the second consecutive year that more than two million containers passed through the harbor.