Sunport optimistic flights and customers will return

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Albuquerque Sunport has seen a dramatic decrease in business because of the pandemic.

On Monday, the airport saw about 1,600 customers. That’s a 73 percent decline compared to the same date last year.

“And that’s pretty much on par with what we’ve seen since late summer,” said Stephanie Kitts, a spokesperson with the Sunport.

According to Kitt, the airport has lost some routes as a result of the pandemic. However, she’s optimistic they’ll return when restrictions are lifted.

“Flight schedules were thrown completely out of whack because of COVID and even still today they’re being changed very frequently,” she added.

According to Kitts, the airport is offering rapid COVID testing and free face masks for passengers.

She also said the vaccine could help increase the number of people flying, but it’s unclear when due to the current restrictions.

In New Mexico, travelers must quarantine for 14 days unless they meet certain criteria.

Additionally, most of the state’s restaurants are limited to outdoor dining.

“We’re seeing a lot of data from other states with fewer restrictions than New Mexico and their recovery is happening already,” said Kitts.

“While we do expect things to improve throughout the year, we don’t know the exact timeline for what that’s going to look like,” she added.