Mercedita Airport

Mercedita Airport (IATA: PSE, ICAO: TJPS, FAA LID: PSE) is a commercial airport located three miles (5 km) east of the central business district of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The airport covers 275 acres (111 ha) and has one runway. Passenger movement at the airport in FY 2008 was 278,911, an astounding 1,228% increase over fiscal year 2003 and the highest of all the regional airports for that 5-year period. As of November 15, 2009, negotiations were underway to transfer control of the airport from the Puerto Rico Ports Authority to the Ponce municipal government. It was inaugurated as an international airport on November 1, 1990. Mercedita is Puerto Rico's largest airport in terms of military personnel volume and the second largest in terms of military freight

Early history

Built in 1939, Mercedita was originally a modest aerodrome used for the airborne irrigation of sugarcane fields belonging to the Serralles distillery.The airport took the name of the sugarcane plantation that it was part of, Hacienda Mercedita. The founder of the plantation, Juan Serrallés, had named his plantation in honor of his wife Mercedes. To commemorate this, a portrait of Mrs. Mercedes Serralles was unveiled in the airport on December 30, 1992, by then-governor of Puerto Rico Rafael Hernandez Colon.

The takeoff/landing strip was then only 850 feet (260 m) long by 50 feet (15 m) wide. During World War II it was turned into a military airport, and in 1947 the U.S. Navy ceded the airport to the Puerto Rico Ports Authority. The airport officially started operations in April, 1948.

In 1949, however, it was determined that the runway of the Ponce Airport at the nearby Losey Field no longer met the newer and more stringent minimum airport safety requirements, and airport operations were suspended. As a result, studies were initiated for the construction of a new airport in Ponce.

New airport

Since then and until today, the airport has been enlarged on various occasions. One major construction project, in particular, took place in 1963 when the runway was extended from 3,000 feet (910 m) to 3,900 feet. In 1967, a master plan was adopted for the systematic development of the airport. In 1971 the runway was again extended, to 5,000 feet (1,500 m) to allow for the use by Boeing 727 aircraft. In 1987 the runway was once again extended, this time to 6,900 feet (2,100 m). The passenger terminal was also remodeled, a platform was built for use by general aviation as was a new building for the Air Rescue Unit of the Puerto Rico Police.

Air service history

International

International air service history at Mercedita has been as follows:

In 1965, Eastern Airlines, together with Caribair, started direct connecting service at the airport.

In 1971, Eastern Airlines held hearing in Ponce with the intention of starting non-stop service to the United States. The Puerto Rico Ports Authority, in anticipation of such service, extended the runway to 5,000 feet (1,500 m) to permit the landing of B-727 aircraft.

In June 1975, Eastern Airlines started a weekly direct flight to New York City with a stop-over in San Juan. In the same year the Puerto Rico Ports Authority built a new runway, access road, parking lot, and shoulder.

In 1990, Eastern Airlines started operations in Ponce with a flight to New York, but it ceased a year later, in January, 1991.

In 1990, Carnival Airlines also started operations in Ponce, and flew to New York and Miami until February 1998.

Meanwhile, American Airlines started to flew to Miami from November 1, 1992, until March, 1994.

On November 17, 2005, Continental Airlines began daily non-stop service from Newark Liberty International Airport and Ponce. This service ended on January 17, 2008.

In November 2007, Spirit Airlines started daily non-stop service from Fort Lauderdale. This service ended on September 2008.

On June 3, 2006, Delta Connection began servicing the airport, with twice-weekly, regional jet service to Atlanta, Georgia. The service ended on January 20, 2007.

Jet Blue started service to New York in June 2005. Some time later it also started flying to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale.

Recent events

After Ponce's mayor Rafael Cordero signed a contract to build a major seaport in the area, Mercedita's directors decided to expand the airport's runway to 8,000 feet (2,400 m) to accommodate anticipated growth in airline traffic.

On June 17, 2005, JetBlue Airways began daily, non-stop service between John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Mercedita Airport. Shortly after this announcement, Continental Airlines also commenced non-stop service from Newark Liberty International Airport and Ponce. This service ended on January 17, 2008. On June 3, 2006, Delta Connection began servicing the airport, with twice-weekly, regional jet service to Atlanta, Georgia. The service ended on January 20, 2007. JetBlue has also added daily, non-stop service between Ponce and Orlando International Airport.

During 2007, more passengers passed through the airport than the population of the entire city of Ponce itself. "Ponce's Mercedita airport served 251,000 passengers in 2007, an increase of 28 percent over the previous year."

In early 2010, members of the Ponce Chamber of Commerce strongly criticized the Puerto Rico Ports Authority and its director Alvaro Pilar Villagran after failure to execute on a legally binding agreement of November 2008, whereby the Ports Authority agreed to an investment of $8 million to built an airport drainage system needed as part of any additional expansion work.

The Puerto Rico Ports Authority recently announced an investment of 7 million dollars to extend Mercedita's runway to 8,000 feet (2,400 m). Construction began in February 2011. Also this year the Authority will be installing two boarding bridges among other terminal improvements.

Disasters

On June 24, 1972, Prinair Flight 191, which took off from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, crashed while attempting to land at Mercedita Airport.

[edit]Ownership and administration

In February 2009, the mayor of Ponce sought to transfer ownership of the airport from the central government in San Juan to the Ponce municipal government.