"South Florida airports get past terrorism slump as passenger counts rise"

Tuesday, November 5, 2002 

S. Florida airports get past terrorism slump as passenger counts rise
By Tom Stieghorst
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel


In a sign of strength, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
said Monday that its traffic in September rose to 1,088,259 travelers,
higher than in September 2000, the last year when comparisons were not
distorted by fallout from the September 2001 terrorism attacks.

Palm Beach International Airport said its September traffic was 19
percent higher than 2001, but 13 percent lower than in September 2000.

Broward lodging revenues in September, as reflected in bed-tax
collections, rose 14.7 percent from the depressed levels of 2001, but
they were 5.7 percent below levels of 2000.

Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties have not yet compiled bed-tax reports
for September.

The Fort Lauderdale airport attributed its 1.9 percent rise in traffic
over the same month two years ago to growing service by discount
airlines, which offset the loss of passengers at several major carriers.
It said jetBlue Airways more than doubled its passenger count, while
AirTran Airways grew by 41 percent, Spirit Airlines had a 19.5 percent
increase and American Trans Air grew 11 percent.

Passenger traffic was up 36.7 percent over the September 2001 headcount
of 795,818 passengers.

Backers of an extended runway at the airport have pointed to continued
growth in passengers despite a weak economy as one reason the project
should go forward.

At the airport in West Palm Beach, total passengers in September
numbered 296,628 compared with 248,759 in 2001 and 340,794 in 2000. In
the most recent September, Delta Air Lines accounted for 41 percent of
all passengers, followed by US Airways, with 16.4 percent.

Airport and tourism activity in Sept. 2001 was directly affected by a
shutdown of air travel for several days and by the cancellation of many
planned business and leisure trips thereafter.

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau said average
occupancy rose from 45.5 percent in September 2001 to 50.1 percent in
September 2002, while average daily rate improved from $67.43 to $71.54.

Average daily rate continues to be the bright spot in Broward's tourism
economy. In September 2000, hotel occupancy at 57.8 percent was higher
than either of the two Septembers since then, but average daily rate was
$70.51, which is slightly lower than the $71.54 recorded this year.


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