The 200,000th passenger is this month expected to pass through security screens controversially introduced at Dubbo's airport just more than a year ago.
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Dubbo City Council has counted the tally as a milestone and highlighted a range of upgrades undertaken at the facility it operates.
It also reported a 6.4 per cent increase in passenger numbers for the past year at the Dubbo City Regional Airport.
The result was achieved despite a somewhat bumpy ride in implementing security screening on March 4, 2013.
The council introduced the measure required under federal law for larger planes when QantasLink brought its 74-seat Q400 aircraft to the city.
It voted unanimously to screen all passengers and charge their carriers.
The passengers of Regional Express (Rex), which also services Dubbo, are not legally required to be screened because of the company's use of smaller planes.
The council's policy of full cost recovery was opposed by Rex and by 105 of 110 submissions about the matter received during a public exhibition period but was maintained for the 2013-2014 financial year.
Thirteen months after the new system began, Dubbo mayor Mathew Dickerson said the airport was critical regional infrastructure that served both Dubbo and the Orana region and that passenger screening was one of a range of upgrades.
By the end of March 2014, 195,396 passengers had been screened, Councillor Dickerson said.
From April 1, 2013 to March 31 this year, the first 12 full months of screening, passenger numbers totalled 181,096.
"This was an increase of 6.4 per cent over the same period in the previous 12 months," Cr Dickerson said.
The mayor found cause for hope the airport would hit a six-year high.
At the end of the third quarter of the financial year the airport had 137,372 passengers and if the trend continued total passenger numbers for the year would be approaching 185,000, he said.
"This is potentially the largest number of passengers since the 2007-2008 financial year at 193,125 passengers," he said.
March's 16,874 passengers was also the highest monthly total in the past six years, nearing the record of 17,543 set in October 2007.
Cr Dickerson said passengers were the winners in the airport upgrades.
The total upgrade of the airport including security upgrades and the expansion and upgrade of airport facilities completed in February was valued at $2.676 million, he said.
"The airport expansion included an extra 110 public car spaces, more undercover parking in a secure car park, the doubling in size of the departure lounge with improved café area, new furniture and fittings and a dedicated area for families with children's activities," he said.
"While there are many factors which affect passenger numbers, the recent upgrades ensure Dubbo has an airport with the capacity to match passenger numbers."