WARWICK – Passenger traffic at T.F. Green Airport (PVD) last month lagged year-ago levels for the sixth consecutive month, although the gap narrowed slightly, based on the latest data from the R.I. Airport Corporation. Cargo traffic at the airport also fell compared with a year ago, as both freight and mail shipments declined.

The total number of passengers passing through T.F. Green during the month was 411,633. Compared with October 2007, when 449,128 travelers passed through the airport, traffic fell 8.35 percent, slowing from year-over-year declines of 11.33 percent in September (READ MORE) and 11.68 percent in August.

Compared with the preceding month’s 368,416 passengers, traffic rose 11.73 percent in October – a month when air travel traditionally has recovered before its winter decline – after falling 16.10 in September and 1.95 percent in August. The number of passengers boarding planes at the airport fell 8.14 percent year-over-year to 209,650, after falling 10.44 percent in September and 11.68 percent in August. Compared with the preceding month’s 187,006, however, the number of passengers enplaned at T.F. Green rose 12.11 percent in October after falling 15.51 percent in September and rising 3.66 percent in August.

The airport’s January-through-October passenger total of 4.00 million lagged the year-ago total by 6.01 percent, sharpening from September’s year-to-date decline of 5.73 percent. The 2.01 million passengers enplaned in the period fell 5.73 percent short of the total for the first 10 months of 2007, widening from September’s gap of 5.44 percent.

Among passenger carriers, Southwest Airlines remained No. 1 at T.F. Green, with 204,297 passengers at the airport and a 49.6-percent market share. US Airways remained No. 2 with 92,408 passengers, or 22.5 percent, followed by United Airlines with 37,267 passengers, or 9.1 percent.

Continental was No. 4 with 24,212 passengers, or 5.9 percent. Close behind were Delta Airlines, falling one notch to No. 5, with 23,751 passengers, or 5.8 percent, and Northwest Airlines with 23,207 passengers, or 5.6 percent of the airport’s October total.

American Eagle – which this month plans to terminate service at T.F. Green and several other hubs (READ MORE) – was No. 7 with 4,176 passengers, or 1.0 percent. Hyannis Air had 1,079 passengers, or 0.3 percent of last month’s total at T.F. Green. Bringing up the rear were Air Canada with 990 passengers, or 0.2 percent of the airport’s September total, and charter planes with 246 passengers, or 0.1 percent.

Total cargo shipments through T.F. Green last month amounted to 2.46 million pounds. Traffic was down 36.82 percent from October 2007, accelerating from year-over-year declines of 29.82 percent in September and 35.25 percent in August. Freight shipments last month amounted to 1.87 million pounds, a 41.89-percent decline from the year-ago 3.21 million pounds. October mail shipments through the airport amounted to 594,833 pounds, a 13-percent decline from the year-ago 683,728 pounds.

Year-to-date, total cargo shipments fell 28.90 percent to 26.02 million pounds from the 36.60 million pounds of the first nine months of 2007. Freight led the decline, with year-to-date shipments plunging 33.32 percent to 20.36 million pounds, while mail shipments fell 6.48 percent to 5.63 million pounds.

The R.I. Airport Corporation 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 from RIAC at www.pvdairport.com.