JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – As passenger counts soar, Johnstown airport leaders are tackling some welcome challenges to accommodate continued growth.In July, more than 2,400 passengers took advantage of service among the cities of Johnstown, Chicago and Washington, D.C. – including 1,223 who got on the 50-passenger twin jets at the John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport.

The local United Express flights are operated by SkyWest Airlines and subsidized through the federal Essential Air Service program.

It was the most enplanements for a single month since July 2005, when 1,236 people boarded Colgan Air flights to Pittsburgh from Johnstown. The situation has airport leaders eyeing parking capacity, ground transportation options and passenger conveniences.

“We are already doing a parking study,” airport authority member James Loncella said at this week’s meeting. “There are a number of items we need to address.”