Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport Executive Director Carl Beardsley Jr. is on sabbatical but expected to eventually return to his role leading the airport in Pittston Twp., airport co-solicitor Donald Frederickson confirmed Tuesday.

Beardsley informed staff of his sabbatical leave last week, Frederickson said, noting “the intent is for him to return.” When that might be is unclear.

Frederickson, who was unable to comment further on the personnel matter, said Assistant Executive Director BJ Teichman is serving as acting director while Beardsley is on sabbatical.

Beardsley declined to comment when reached by phone Tuesday.

The bi-county airport board composed of Luzerne and Lackawanna County officials voted in late 2014 to name Beardsley the successor to 25-year airport Director Barry J. Centini, who earlier that year had announced his plans to retire.

Beardsley, whose tenure as director of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport began in January 2015, had served as the commissioner of aviation for Broome County, New York, since 2005. Broome County owns and its department of aviation operates the Greater Binghamton Airport in New York’s Southern Tier.

As director of AVP, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton airport’s Federal Aviation Administration codename, Beardsley helped the airport navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and celebrated early last year the addition of Breeze Airways as its newest carrier.

Breeze began offering direct service from AVP to Orlando, Florida, in January 2024, marking the return of direct local flights to Florida for the first time in about six years.

It later added local service from AVP to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and two additional Florida services from AVP to Fort Myers and Tampa, respectively.

The partnership with Breeze and the new services it delivered have contributed to a positive passenger activity trend at the airport. Total passenger boardings there in 2024, for example, increased by about 30.9% compared to 2023.

A trend of monthly boarding figures increasing compared to the same month the year prior has largely continued this year.