Air traffic on rise at Pease

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. – Air traffic at the Pease International Tradeport is picking up so fast the center may need to expand its 2-year-old terminal building.

Airport Manager Mark Rowell said activity at the airport is rising and demands on the terminal could increase further with the addition of a new air carrier or more charter flights. He expects an expansion to be needed within two years.

“It’s just going to depend on how things develop,” Rowell said.

The first Pease terminal was a former Air Force building that was renovated after the base transferred out of military control in 1992.

Construction on the current terminal began before Pan American Airways located its headquarters at Pease and opened in December 1998. It cost more than $5.5 million, with 90 percent paid through federal grants, Rowell said.

Pan American, currently the only scheduled passenger service at Pease, is in the midst of its busiest week. Pan Am Senior Vice President John Nadolny said extra flights have been added to all of the airline’s routes to Florida.

Rowell said the Tradeport’s goal is to attract international charter flights.

“We continue to work that,” he said. “Part of what we’ve done is marketing in Europe.”