Mercedita Airport

Mercedita Airport
IATA: PSE – ICAO: TJPS – FAA LID: PSE
Summary
Airport type		Public
Owner		Puerto Rico Ports Authority
Serves		Ponce, Puerto Rico
Location		Ponce, Puerto Rico
Elevation AMSL		29 ft / 9 m
Coordinates		18°00′30″N 066°33′47″W / 18.00833°N 66.56306°W / 18.00833; -66.56306Coordinates: 18°00′30″N 066°33′47″W / 18.00833°N 66.56306°W / 18.00833; -66.56306
Map
Mercedita Airport Location in Puerto Rico
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	ft	m
12/30	6,904	2,104	Asphalt
Statistics (2010)
Aircraft Operations			11,315
Passenger Movement			207,467 (2,010)
Based Aircraft			33
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1] Passengers from the Puerto Rico Ports Authority

Mercedita Airport (IATA: PSE, ICAO: TJPS, FAA LID: PSE) is a commercial airport located three miles (5 km) east of the central business district of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The airport covers 275 acres (111 ha) and has one runway.^[2] Passenger movement at the airport in FY 2008 was 278,911, an astounding 1,228% increase over fiscal year 2003 and the highest of all the regional airports for that 5-year period.^[3] As of November 15, 2009, negotiations were underway to transfer control of the airport from the Puerto Rico Ports Authority to the Ponce municipal government.^[3] It was inaugurated as an international airport on November 1, 1990.^[2][4][5] Mercedita is Puerto Rico's largest airport in terms of military personnel volume and the second largest in terms of military freight.^[6]On 12 August 1981, an Air Florida plane with 125 Haitian refugees aboard landed at Mercedita enroute to the Fort Allen facility in Juana Diaz, part of the 1981 Haitian refugees exodus.^[7]

History

Early history

Built in 1939, Mercedita was originally a modest aerodrome used for the airborne irrigation of sugarcane fields belonging to the Serralles distillery.^[2] The airport took the name of the sugarcane plantation that it was part of, Hacienda Mercedita. The founder of the plantation, Juan Serrallés, had named his plantation in honor of his wife Mercedes.^[8] To commemorate this, a portrait of Mrs. Mercedes Serralles was unveiled in the airport on December 30, 1992, by then-governor of Puerto Rico Rafael Hernandez Colon.^[9]

The takeoff/landing strip was then only 850 feet (260 m) long by 50 feet (15 m) wide.^[2] During World War II it was turned into a military airport, and in 1947 the U.S. Navy ceded the airport to the Puerto Rico Ports Authority.^[2] The airport officially started operations in April, 1948.^[10]

In 1949, however, it was determined that the runway of the Ponce Airport at the nearby Losey Field^[11] no longer met the newer and more stringent minimum airport safety requirements, and airport operations were suspended. As a result, studies were initiated for the construction of a new airport in Ponce.^[2]

The US Air Force 32nd Fighter Squadron at Mercedita Airport during World War II

New airport

Since then and until today, the airport has been enlarged on various occasions. One major construction project, in particular, took place in 1963 when the runway was extended from 3,000 feet (910 m) to 3,900 feet.^[2] In 1967, a master plan was adopted for the systematic development of the airport. In 1971 the runway was again extended, to 5,000 feet (1,500 m) to allow for the use by Boeing 727 aircraft. In 1987 the runway was once again extended, this time to 6,900 feet (2,100 m). The passenger terminal was also remodeled, a platform was built for use by general aviation as was a new building for the Air Rescue Unit of the Puerto Rico Police.^[2]

1990s expansion work

In the fall of 1992, the runway was extended to make it possible for American Airlines to run flights to Miami, Florida. The cost of the expansion was $3 million. The expansion provided 1,900 feet (580 m) additional length, as well as 50 ft (15 m) additional width.^[12] Also in the fall of 1992, the Puerto Rico Ports Authority spent another $6 million in improvements to the terminal building. These included an additional 14,500 square feet (1,350 m²) space in the baggage claim, immigration, customs, passenger waiting areas, vending areas, and Department of Agriculture installations.^[13]

Air service history

International

International air service history at Mercedita has been as follows:^[2]

• In 1965, Eastern Airlines, together with Caribair, started direct connecting service at the airport.
• In 1971, Eastern Airlines held hearing in Ponce with the intention of starting non-stop service to the United States. The Puerto Rico Ports Authority, in anticipation of such service, extended the runway to 5,000 feet (1,500 m) to permit the landing of B-727 aircraft.
• In June 1975, Eastern Airlines started a weekly direct flight to New York City with a stop-over in San Juan. In the same year the Puerto Rico Ports Authority built a new runway, access road, parking lot, and shoulder.
• In 1990, Eastern Airlines started operations in Ponce with a flight to New York, but it ceased a year later, in January, 1991.
• In 1990, Carnival Airlines also started operations in Ponce, and flew to New York and Miami until February 1998.
• Meanwhile, American Airlines started to flew to Miami from November 1, 1992, until March, 1994.
• On November 17, 2005, Continental Airlines began daily non-stop service from Newark Liberty International Airport and Ponce.^[14] This service ended on January 17, 2008.
• In November 2007, Spirit Airlines started daily non-stop service from Fort Lauderdale. This service ended on September 2008.
• On June 3, 2006, Delta Connection began servicing the airport, with twice-weekly, regional jet service to Atlanta, Georgia. The service ended on January 20, 2007.
• Jet Blue started service to New York in June 2005. Some time later it also started flying to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale^[15]

Intra-Island

In addition, several carriers have flown intra-island from Ponce:^[2]

• During the 1970s, the airport had extensive domestic daily service by Prinair. Prinair kept on flying there until it ceased operations in 1984.^{[citation needed]}
• American Eagle Airlines flew from Ponce to San Juan, but halted operations in January, 2001, "after many years of service."
• Cape Air offered service to San Juan from January 1, 2003, to December, 2004. It then reinitiated operations flying again to that city until April 30, 2011.

Freight

Federal Express and DHL operate out of this airport for the distribution of surface freight.^[2]

Recent events

After Ponce's mayor Rafael Cordero signed a contract to build a major seaport in the area, Mercedita's directors decided to expand the airport's runway to 8,000 ft (2,438 m) to accommodate anticipated growth in airline traffic.

On June 17, 2005, JetBlue Airways began daily, non-stop service between John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Mercedita Airport. Shortly after this announcement, Continental Airlines also commenced non-stop service from Newark Liberty International Airport and Ponce. This service ended on January 17, 2008. On June 3, 2006, Delta Connection began servicing the airport, with twice-weekly, regional jet service to Atlanta, Georgia. The service ended on January 20, 2007. JetBlue has also added daily, non-stop service between Ponce and Orlando International Airport.

During 2007, more passengers passed through the airport than the population of the entire city of Ponce itself. "Ponce's Mercedita airport served 251,000 passengers in 2007, an increase of 28 percent over the previous year."^[16]

In February 2009, Ponce mayor María Meléndez sought transfer of the airport from the Puerto Rico central government to the Ponce Municipal government amidst discontent with the bureocracy at the central government that could be avoided if the airport was locally managed.^[17][18]

In early 2010, members of the Ponce Chamber of Commerce strongly criticized the Puerto Rico Ports Authority and its director Alvaro Pilar Villagran after failure to execute on a legally binding agreement of November 2008, whereby the Ports Authority agreed to an investment of $8 million to built an airport drainage system needed as part of any additional expansion work.^[19]

The Puerto Rico Ports Authority recently announced an investment of 7 million dollars to extend Mercedita's runway to 8,000 feet (2,400 m). Construction began in February 2011.^[20] Also this year the Authority will be installing two boarding bridges among other terminal improvements.^[21]

Airlines and destinations

Airlines	Destinations
JetBlue Airways	New York–JFK, Orlando

The Airport is also home of the southern aerial division of the Puerto Rico Police Department.

Realtime departures and arrivals information is available online.^[22]

Disasters

On June 24, 1972, Prinair Flight 191, which took off from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, crashed while attempting to land at Mercedita Airport.^[23][24]

On July 1, 2011, a Cessna 185 that was supposed to land at Mercedita airport with a family of five on board, registration number N8438Q, crashed while on its way from Culebra. One body was found in Humacao. The other four passengers are presumed dead.^[25]

Ownership and administration

In February 2009, the mayor of Ponce sought to transfer ownership of the airport from the central government in San Juan to the Ponce municipal government.^[26]

References

Puerto Rico portal

1. ^ FAA Airport Master Record for PSE (Form 5010 PDF), retrieved 15 March 2007
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k} Puerto Rico Ports Authority. Regional Airports: Mercedita Airport (Ponce). (In Spanish) Retrieved March 4, 2010.
3. ^ ^{a b} Transfer of operations from PPPA to Municipal Government Retrieved November 15, 2009.
4. ^ Municipality of Ponce website
5. ^ Terminal Building Improvements Bids. Vol. 29, No. 14 (April 19, 2010), page 747 (Bid No. 30-90; BPR No. 50602). San Juan, Puerto Rico: Industrial Publishers, April 19, 2010. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
6. ^ Ponce Podria Administrar el Aeropuerto Mercedita. Jose Valdes. El Nuevo Dia. 12 November 1997.
7. ^ Fuerte Allen: calvario con rostro haitiano.Carmen Cila Rodríguez. "El Sur en la Historia." In, La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 12 October 2011. Page 18. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
8. ^ Destileria Serrallés
9. ^ No le Hace (el Parentesco), Segun el Gobernador. El Nuevo Dia. December 31, 1992. (In Spanish.) Retrieved May 5, 2010.
10. ^ AirNav: Mercedita Airport. Information current as of February 11, 2010. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
11. ^ Losey Field, Ponce. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
12. ^ Abre sus puertas el Ponce Hilton. El Nuevo Dia. October 24, 1992. (In Spanish.) Retrieved May 5, 2010.
13. ^ Mejoras en el aeropuerto de Ponce por $6 millones. El Nuevo Dia. September 21, 1992. (In Spanish.) Retrieved May 5, 2010.
14. ^ Continental Airlines Announces Daily Nonstop Service Between Newark and Ponce, Puerto Rico. PR Newswire. August 22, 2005. Retrieved May 16, 2010.
15. ^ [1],"JetBlue announces services between South Florida and Puerto Rico"
16. ^ 28% increase in passenger traffic
17. ^ Buscan municipalizar aeropuerto de Ponce. El Nuevo Dia. San Juan , Puerto Rico. 23 February 2009. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
18. ^ Busca munipalizar aeropuerto Mercedita. WAPA-TV. San Juan , Puerto Rico. 23 February 2009. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
19. ^ Revés para Aeropuerto Mercedita: Crece malestar por posposición de expansión. By Jason Rodríguez Grafal. Ponce, Puerto Rico: La Perla del Sur (newspaper). January 2010. (section: Noticias Locales) (In Spanish) Retrieved November 1, 2010.
20. ^ Con inversión de $7 millones: Luz Verde a la expansión del Aeropuerto. By Jason Rodríguez Grafal. Ponce, Puerto Rico: La Perla del Sur (newspaper). Wednesday, April 14, 2010. (section: Noticias Locales) (In Spanish) Retrieved April 16, 2010.
21. ^ Terminal Building Improvements Bids. San Juan, Puerto Rico: Industrial Publishers, April 19, 2010.
22. ^ Our Airports: Ponce's Mercedita Airport Retrieved November 29, 2009.
23. ^ Aviation Safety Network. Prinair Flight 191 Accident Description. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
24. ^ Final Accident Report from the NTSB Retrieved March 4, 2010.
25. ^ 'Hallan cadáver de tripulante.' Miguel Rivera Puig. El Vocero. 4 July 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
26. ^ Busca municipalizar aeropuerto Mercedita. WAPA-TV. 23 Febnruary 2009. The Associated Press. Retrieved 8 April 2011.

External links

• Resources for this airport:
  • AirNav airport information for TJPS
  • ASN accident history for PSE
  • FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker for TJPS
  • NOAA/NWS latest weather observations for TJPS
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart for PSE
• Essential Air Service documents (Docket Number 6592) from the U.S. Department of Transportation:
  • Order 2007-4-18: Selecting Hyannis Air Service, d/b/a Cape Air, to provide EAS for two year period beginning May 1, 2007
  • Order 2007-2-4: Request for proposals to provide essential air service for two year period beginning May 1, 2007
  • Order 2005-3-2: Selecting Hyannis Air Service, d/b/a Cape Air, to provide EAS for two years through April 30, 2007