LMM Airport sets record, surpassing 13 million passengers

The record-setting passenger was greeted by officials who presented her with various gifts, to the sound of Christmas rhythms played by a group of pleneros.

By The Star Staff

For the third consecutive time, Luis Muñoz Marín In-ternational Airport (SJU) broke the record for travelers in one year by welcoming the 13 millionth passenger with a celebration on Thursday by airport management company Aerostar Puerto Rico, the airport community and island tourism authorities.

The airport will close 2024 with a new record, after a record-setting year in 2023. The passenger who raised the number to 13 million users this year was 41-year-old Andrea Krimmel, who arrived on the island with her family on Delta Air Lines flight 1883 from Atlanta.

“We are celebrating an important moment for Aerostar, for the airport community, and for the entire tourism in-dustry on the island,” Aerostar President Jorge Hernández said in a written statement. “Reaching the historic mark of 13 million passengers in one year is the result of sustained growth over the past few years. It is a reflection of the work of our team, of the thousands of employees who make up the airport community, and of the different members and sectors of an industry that drives the development of Puerto Rico on a daily basis.”

Puerto Rico Tourism Company Executive Director Carlos Mercado Santiago added that the sustained growth in air access gives the agency the confidence to continue adding new routes and increasing frequencies, ensuring that the trend continues in the coming years.

“This new record demonstrates the positive impact of commercial relations with airlines that continue to see our island as an ideal destination to continue growing their operations,” he said.

The flight was greeted at around 11:35 a.m. with a wel-come ceremony, known in the aviation industry as a “water salute,” which consists of the formation of an arch with jets of water launched from two fire trucks toward the plane. The ceremony, which is performed on special occasions, was conducted by Aerostar’s Aircraft Rescue Firefighters team, and could be witnessed by the public through the windows of Terminal B overlooking the taxiway, adjacent to the runway.

Upon leaving, Krimmel was greeted by officials who presented her with various gifts, to the sound of Christmas rhythms played by a group of pleneros. Among the gifts was a check for $1,300 from Aerostar, Puerto Rican liquor and crafts from airport concessionaires, and a Global Lounge membership.