Here at Florida Commercial News, we post major news announcements and press releases that impact Florida real estate investment and Florida land development as the "release of the week."

This week's big news item is the series of announcements from Orlando International Airport that have been released recently, describing not only the increase in traffic at Orlando International Airport, but the international traffic that is coming into Orlando now:

4/11/2012 - Special Events Lead to February Increase in Passengers at Orlando International Airport

ORLANDO, FL. - It was an eventful February at Orlando International Airport (MCO). Ten separate airlines boosted the number of flights coming into Orlando International for the month. In total, an additional 113 flights per week helped push traffic up by nearly five and half percent for the month. The new flights represent both national and international destinations including Halifax, Nova Scotia; Montego Bay, Jamaica; London, England; Dallas, Texas; and Los Angeles, California just to name a few.

"The combination of the National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star game, Speedweek events, The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) Daytona 500, The Disney Princess Half-Marathon and strong spring break travel this February spurred both international and domestic traffic increases," says Phil Brown, Executive Director of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.

Another event 825 miles away also helped to boost traffic. The city with the largest increase in service for the month, with 18 new weekly flights, was Indianapolis, which just so happened to host Super Bowl 46 in February.

February 2012 Statistical Data:

• Overall traffic improved 5.46 percent for the month
• International traffic climbed 11.4 7 percent to 284,616
• Domestic traffic saw an increase of 4.83 percent to 2,570,637
• In all 2.8 million travelers, 2,855,253 moved through Orlando International Airport

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 3/19/2012 - "The Orlando Experience" A Hit With International Travelers

Orlando International Airport's (MCO) commitment to passenger convenience and customer service continues to impress global travelers. In a recent survey by one of Europe's largest online travel agencies, Orlando International ranked 5th worldwide in the category of Waiting Lounges.

eDreams.com reported it received thousands of responses from fliers throughout its 19-country operating area, who actually traveled through the airports they reviewed, and MCO finished with an average score of 4.31 out of a possible 5 points. A total of only .23 points separated the top five airports in Seoul, Singapore, Munich, Thailand and Orlando. Customers were asked to rate various aspects of airports including their services, shopping, restaurants, bars and waiting areas.

"We have facilities that capture the unique character of Central Florida known as "The Orlando Experience". In addition, with visitor-friendly amenities, including 70 retail and 57 restaurant locations, MCO offers customers multiple opportunities to relax comfortably before continuing their travel experience," said Greater Orlando Aviation Authority Executive Director, Phil Brown.

To see the full survey, go to: http://www.edreams.com/flights/airports/best-airports/

In addition to pleasing customers while they visit, Orlando International also excelled in keeping them on schedule. According to FlightStats, MCO's on-time arrival percentage ranked fifth best among the world's busiest airports.

In February of 2012, 86.35 percent of flights into Orlando International Airport arrived on time. Tokyo International Airport had the best performance for the month with an on-time percentage of 94.34 percent.

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 4/18/2012 - GOAA Board Selects New Chairman

ORLANDO, FL - At its April meeting, the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) selected Orlando attorney Frank Kruppenbacher as the new Chairman of the board that manages operations and policy for Orlando International and Orlando Executive Airports. The seven-member board is comprised of five appointees by the Governor of the state of Florida and one elected official each from the Orange County Commission and the Orlando City Council. Kruppenbacher succeeds banker Cesar E. Calvet, who served as Chairman since April of 2010.

Mr. Kruppenbacher currently serves as a gubernatorial appointee on the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority Board among other high profile positions in the state.

In accepting the election, Mr. Kruppenbacher thanked Cesar Calvet for his service as Chairman and acknowledged that he had set the bar high.

Other GOAA Board Officers elected include Dr. Jason Pirozzolo, Vice Chairman; Cesar Calvet, Treasurer; Phil Brown, Secretary; and Dayci Burnette-Snyder, Assistant Secretary.

In October of 2008, Mr. Kruppenbacher was appointed to the Florida Commission on Ethics by then Florida House Speaker, now U.S. Senator Marco Rubio. He previously served on The Florida Commission on Sales Tax Reform as an appointee of Governor Jeb Bush. Mr. Kruppenbacher served as President of the Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce; was a member of the Orange County Ethics & Campaign Finance Reform Task Force appointed by the Chief Judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida; Orange County Oversight Committee; the first Orange County Charter Commission; Central Florida Zoological Board; Orange County Convention & Visitor Bureau Board and the Oversight Board of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

Orlando International Airport comprises nearly 14,000 acres of land and accommodates more than 35 million passengers annually.

Composition of the GOAA Board is as follows:

Frank Kruppenbacher, Dr. Jason Pirozzolo, Cesar Calvet, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs, Jose Colon and James Palmer.

The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority was established as an agency of the city in 1957 and later amended under an Operation and Use agreement dated September 27, 1976, which transferred to the Authority the responsibility to oversee all aviation activity for the city’s two airports, Orlando International and Orlando Executive. The five members appointed by the Governor may serve two four-year terms. Each Mayor serves two-year terms as long as they are in office. The Chairman is elected by the Board for a two-year term and may serve up to four consecutive terms.

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For more information, contact Carolyn Fennell or Rod Johnson in the Office of Public Affairs for the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority at 407-825-2055.