Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport is a public use airport in Sarasota County (terminal) and Manatee County (airfield), Florida. Owned by the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority, it is located three nautical miles (6 km) north of the central business district of Sarasota (Sarasota County) and five nautical miles (9 km) south of Bradenton (Manatee County).
This airport is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a primary commercial service airport since it has over 10,000 passenger boardings (enplanements) per year. As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 657,157 enplanements in calendar year 2011, a decrease of 2.06% from 670,992 in 2010.
SARASOTA BRADENTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HISTORY
Air Force One was at the airport on September 11, 2001. George W. Bush was at the Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota when Andrew Card first informed him of the September 11, 2001 attacks at 9:05 AM. Bush returned to the airport. It taxied at 9:54 AM and lifted off at 9:55 AM flying first to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.
Like many mid-sized American airports, Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport experienced financial woes in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Additionally, two airlines servicing SRQ, Canada 3000 and Canadian Airlines, ceased operations, the first bankrupt and the second acquired by Air Canada.
SARASOTA BRADENTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LOCATION
SARASOTA BRADENTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FACTS
ICAO/IATA: KSRQ/SRQ
Lat: 27°23′44″N
Long: 27°23′44″N
Elevation: 30 ft.
Runway length available: 04/22 5009×150 ft. :: 14/32 9500×150 ft.
