By Susan A. Baird
PBN Web Editor
WARWICK – Passenger traffic at T.F. Green Airport (PVD) surged last month, continuing the rise that began in February, the latest figures from the R.I. Airport Corporation show. Freight and mail traffic also rose, though both cargo and passenger traffic remained below year-ago levels.
A total of 393,638 passengers passed through the airport in March, an increase of 11.2 percent from February’s 354,096 (READ MORE) but a decline of 3.7 percent from the year-ago passenger total of 408,747.
The number of passengers who boarded planes at T.F. Green in March was 195,527, RIAC said. That represented an increase of 8.3 percent from February’s 180,582 enplaned passengers but a decrease of 3.0 percent from the year-ago 201,645.
Both figures lagged the airport’s 2007 monthly average of 418,278 total passengers and 209,155 emplaned passengers.
Southwest Airlines remained No. 1 at T.F. Green last month with 218,504 passengers and a 55.5-percent market share. US Airways was No. 2 with 81,794 passengers or 20.8 percent, followed by United Airlines with 25,279 passengers or 6.4 percent; Delta Airlines with 26,118 or 6.6 percent; Continental at 18,978 or 4.8 percent; Northwest Airlines with 15,249 passengers or 3.9 percent; American Eagle with 6,114 or 1.6 percent; Air Canada with 1,035 or 0.3 percent; and charter planes with 567 passengers or 0.1 percent of the airport’s March total.
Total cargo shipments through T.F. Green last month amounted to 2.46 million pounds, a 4.2-percent increase from February’s 2.36 million pounds but a 34.8-percent decline from the March 2007 total of 3.78 million pounds. Freight shipments totaled 1.86 million pounds, 3.7 percent more than in February but 39.2 percent less than a year ago, while mail shipments amounted to 532,146 pounds, 4.7 percent more than the month before but 11.9 percent less than in March 2007.
The R.I. Airport Corporation (RIAC) is a quasi-public organization, based at T.F. Green International Airport (PVD) in Warwick, that oversees Green and the state’s five general aviation airports. Additional information is available at www.pvdairport.com.
