Editing Mercedita International Airport (section)

===2000s-2010===
[[File:Torre de control del Aeropuerto Internacional Mercedita, Bo. Vayas, Ponce, PR, visto desde la PR-5506, mirando al este (DSC02387B).jpg|thumb|left|250px|Airport's control tower looking east]]
After Ponce's mayor [[Rafael Cordero (mayor)|Rafael Cordero]] signed a contract to build a [[Port of the Americas (Port of Ponce)|major seaport]] in the area, Mercedita's directors decided to expand the airport's runway to {{convert|8000|ft|abbr=on|0}} to accommodate anticipated growth in airline traffic.

On 17 June 2005, [[JetBlue]] began daily, non-stop service between [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]] in New York and Mercedita Airport. On 17 November 2005, [[Continental Airlines]] also commenced non-stop service between [[Newark Liberty International Airport]] and Ponce.<ref>[http://www.americanshipper.com/Main/News/Continental_to_start_daily_nonstop_NewarkPuerto_Ri_20018.aspx?taxonomy= ''Continental to start daily non-stop Newark/Puerto Rico service.''] American Shipper/Howard Publications, Inc. 23 August 2005. Retrieved 5 August 2012. [https://web.archive.org/web/20151016213351/http://www.americanshipper.com/Main/News/Continental_to_start_daily_nonstop_NewarkPuerto_Ri_20018.aspx?taxonomy= Archived] on 2015-10-16, 21:33:51 at the [[Wayback Machine]].</ref> This service ended on 17 January 2008. On 3 June 2006, [[Delta Connection]] began servicing the airport, with twice-weekly, regional jet service to [[Atlanta]], Georgia. The service ended on 20 January 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% over the previous year."<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.letsgotoponce.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=178 |title=Ponce's Mercedita Airport 1,000 feet Expansion Gets Permission to Set Flight |access-date=29 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090423093906/http://www.letsgotoponce.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=178 |archive-date=23 April 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Passenger movement at the airport in [[fiscal year|FY]] 2008 was 278,911, a 1,228% increase over fiscal year 2003 and the highest of all the regional airports for that 5-year period.<ref>[http://www.businessregisterpr.com/search?transportation=true ''Air Transportation.''] businessregisterpr.com. 1 September 2009. Accessed 15 November 2009. [https://web.archive.org/web/20090901161424/http://www.businessregisterpr.com/search?transportation=true ''Archived''] on 2009-09-01, 16:14:24 at the [[Wayback Machine]].</ref> 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 bureaucracy at the central government that could be avoided if the airport was locally managed.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.elnuevodia.com/Xstatic/endi/template/imprimir.aspx?id=536714&t=3 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120729130442/http://www.elnuevodia.com/Xstatic/endi/template/imprimir.aspx?id=536714&t=3 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 29 July 2012 | title = ''Buscan municipalizar aeropuerto de Ponce'' | language = es | publisher = El Nuevo Dia | location = San Juan, Puerto Rico | date = 23 February 2009 | access-date = 10 October 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.wapa.tv/noticias/locales/busca-munipalizar-aeropuerto-mercedita_20090223125942.html | title = ''Busca munipalizar aeropuerto Mercedita'' | language = es | publisher = WAPA-TV | location = San Juan, Puerto Rico | date = 23 February 2009 | access-date = 10 October 2011}}</ref><ref name="Archived">[http://www.senadopr.us/Proyectos%20del%20Senado/ps0405-09.pdf ''Proyecto del Senado 405: LEY, Para transferir la jurisdicción del Aeropuerto Internacional Merceditas de Ponce, de la Autoridad de Puertos del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico al Municipio Autónomo de Ponce.''] Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico. Senado de Puerto Rico. 16ta Asamblea 1ra Sesión. Legislativa Ordinaria. 20 February 2009. Accessed 26 March 2012. [https://web.archive.org/web/20160103024041/http://senado.pr.gov/Proyectos%20del%20Senado/ps0405-09.pdf ''Archived''] on 2016-01-03, 02:40:41, by the [[Wayback Machine]].</ref>

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 build an airport drainage system needed as part of any additional expansion work.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110715065528/http://www.periodicolaperla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=425 ''Archived''] on 2011-07-15, 06:55:28, by the [[Wayback Machine]] from the [http://www.periodicolaperla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=425 ''Original.''] Jason Rodríguez Grafal. ''Revés para Aeropuerto Mercedita: Crece malestar por posposición de expansión.'' Ponce, Puerto Rico: La Perla del Sur. January 2010 (section: ''Noticias Locales''). Retrieved 1 November 2010.</ref>

In 2010, the [[Puerto Rico Ports Authority]] announced an investment of $7 million to extend Mercedita's runway to {{convert|8000|ft|m}}. Construction began in February 2011.<ref>Jason Rodríguez Grafal. [http://www.periodicolaperla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1206:prometen-para-verano-obras-en-el-aeropuerto-mercedita&catid=81:locales&Itemid=198 ''Con inversión de $7 millones: Luz Verde a la expansión del Aeropuerto''] (in Spanish). Ponce, Puerto Rico: La Perla del Sur (newspaper). 14 April 2010 (section: ''Noticias Locales''). Retrieved 16 April 2010.</ref> In 2012 the Authority installed two boarding bridges among other terminal improvements.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.primerahora.com/siguenlaslaboresenelaeropuertomercedita-642243.html | title = ''Siguen las labores en el aeropuerto Mercedita'' | language = es | work = Primera Hora | date = 3 May 2012}}</ref>