According to a study by Harvard University’s School of Public Health, the universal use of face masks, diligent cleaning protocols and advanced ventilation and filtration systems offer significant protection against COVID-19, lowering the risk of transmission on an aircraft to minimal levels. Modern airplanes maintain clean air by circulating a mix of fresh air and air recycled through HEPA filters, the same type of air filters used in hospital operating rooms.

The aviation industry has been a leader in implementing health and safety measures for its travelers since the pandemic changed our world. And travelers are learning to adapt to the new requirements in order to fly.

With new rules in place – and the compliance that has had to occur – air travel numbers continue to grow.

At AVL, more people flew in October than in any other month since mid-March – an early estimate shows we served approximately 88,000 total passengers. This is a huge climb from April’s 2,400 total passengers.

And the news for our region’s airport is even better: our monthly passenger numbers (by percentage compared to last year) have significantly outpaced the national average since June.

Airports are part of the nation’s critical infrastructure, and must remain open and operational. We are proud to be able to do that with health and safety top of mind, and we remain ready when you are.

Learn more about health & safety measures at AVL and with the airlines that serve our market.

Handicapped parking spaces have been redistributed and are now located in all three paid parking areas at the airport: Hourly, Daily and Garage parking. Additionally, the rate structure has been updated and instead of one flat rate for handicapped parking, parking fees are now associated with the lot in which spaces are located.

All parking at the airport is “Credit Card Only,” and customers pay upon exit from the parking area at unmanned toll booth kiosks, where credit card readers are located.

For many years, the airport charged a flat rate for all handicapped parking, regardless of location of the parking spaces. Because of the operational change at the airport to unmanned parking toll booths at the exits, manual adjustments to pricing can no longer be made. In order to maintain a lowest-cost option for handicapped customers, spaces close to the terminal in the Daily Lot have been designated as handicapped parking.

Congratulations to Buncombe County and the Economic Development Coalition for Asheville-Buncombe County for their recent announcement that Pratt & Whitney, a division of Raytheon Technologies Corp. (NYSE: RTX) plans to invest $650 million through 2027 in a new manufacturing facility. The milestone investment in the new building, technology, machinery and equipment is intended to create 800 new jobs.

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft and helicopter engines, and auxiliary power units.

Thank you, WLOS – our local ABC affiliate – for taking time to highlight the great work the AVL custodial team is doing everyday to keep our region’s airport clean and ready for travelers. Their work is a big part of the enhancements in place at AVL to promote a safe and healthy travel journey for travelers.