WARWICK – Passenger traffic at T.F. Green Airport (PVD) last month continued to lag year-ago levels, although it rose compared with July, based on data released today by the R.I. Airport Corporation. Meanwhile, cargo traffic at the airport fell compared with a year ago and dipped slightly compared with July.

The total number of passengers passing through T.F. Green during the month fell 11.68 percent compared with August 2007 to 439,137 from 497,185 a year ago. Compared with July 2008’s 430,725 passengers however, traffic rose 1.95 percent after rising 2.47 percent in July and falling 2 percent in June. (READ MORE)

The number of passengers boarding planes at the airport during August also fell 11.68 percent compared with a year ago to 221,326 from the August 2007 total of 250,601. Compared with the preceding month’s 213,52, the number of passengers enplaned at T.F. Green rose 3.66 percent in August after rising 3.11 percent in July and falling 2 percent in June.

The airport’s January-through-August passenger total of 3.22 million lagged the year-ago total by 5.04 percent, while the 1.61 million passengers enplaned in the first eight months of the year fell 4.83 percent short of the year-ago figure.

Among passenger carriers, Southwest Airlines remained No. 1, with 216,839 passengers at T.F. Green and a 49.4-percent market share. US Airways remained No. 2 with 91,691 passengers, or 20.9 percent, followed by United Airlines with 36,206 passengers, or 8.2 percent.

Northwest Airlines was No. 4 with 29,316 passengers, or 6.7 percent of the airport’s August total. It was followed by Delta Airlines with 26,269 passengers, or 6.0 percent; Continental with 24,225, or 5.5 percent; and the soon-to-depart American Eagle (READ MORE) with 4,305 passengers, or 1.0 percent. Bringing up the rear were charter planes with 3,373 passengers, or 0.8 percent of the airport’s August total, and Air Canada with 1,069, or 0.2 percent.

Total cargo shipments through T.F. Green last month amounted to 2.64 million pounds, a 35.25-percent decline compared with the August 2007 total of 4.08 million pounds. Freight shipments amounted to 2.11 million pounds last month, a 38.23-percent decline from the August 2007 total of 4.08 million pounds. Mail shipments through the airport fell to 532,659 pounds in August, a 19.92-percent decline from the year-ago 665,118 pounds.

Compared with July 2008’s 2.65 million pounds, total cargo traffic through the airport in August dipped 0.38 percent. Freight shipments were essentially unchanged from July’s 2.11 million pounds but mail shipments fell 0.59 percent from July’s 535,814-pound total.

Year-to-date, cargo shipments were down 27.73 percent to 21.03 million pounds in the first eight months of 2007. Freight led the decline, with year-to-date shipments plunging 31.84 percent to 16.58 million pounds. Mail shipments fell 6.79 percent to 4.45 million pounds from the 4.78 million pounds in the first eight months of 2007.

The R.I. Airport Corporation (RIAC) is a quasi-public organization, based at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, that oversees Green and the state’s five general aviation airports. Additional information is available at www.pvdairport.com.