Tampa International Airport Announces First Layoffs In 65 Years

For the first time in its 65-year history, Tampa International Airport is being forced to hold layoffs. The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, the public agency that runs the airport, will cut 27 employees from its staff by the end of the year, said Brenda Geoghagan, spokeswoman for the company. That amounts to around 4 percent of its workforce.

The cuts will come from the department in charge of planning and supervising construction at Tampa International Airport in addition to three general aviation airports in Hillsborough County.

Tampa International’s passenger traffic saw its peak, about 9.6 million outbound passengers, in 2007. However, since then, airlines have cut flights in order to deal with expensive fuel costs. The major economic recession has also played a factor in the decline of travelers.

Due to the loss of travelers, construction time lines have been delayed. One of which, a $1 billion passenger terminal which was originally expected to open in 2015. Projections are now suggesting that the structure won’t be necessary until 2023.