Airport Report-Meridian Regional Airport

January 12, 2004

Airport Report-Meridian Regional Airport
WTOK, MS

Bottom line, the number of passengers is up, with the
total number of passengers at the airport equaling
about 22,000. 

A breakdown report shows that compared to a year ago
at the same time, the number of passengers using the
airport increased 19 percent in October, 30 percent in
November, and 35 percent in December. 

Although the addition of 50 passenger jet service in
May played a role in the increase, airport officials
say the impact was caused by much more. 

"We didn't really like the schedule we got and ASA,
the Delta Connection, changed our schedule the first
of October and that's when the real increase started
happening. That's when the growth really started,"
says Meridian Regional Airport Authority President Tom
Williams. 

Williams' credits the factors previously mentioned,
couple with extra advertising revenue from a federal
grant, for the increase. However, things were not so
good for all airports in the state. 

While Tupelo saw growth last year, Jackson
International ended the year pretty much even, while
business for Golden Triangle airport in Columbus was
somewhat down.

Although things are good, airport officials say they
want to make them better. While negotiations continue
about airfare prices, officials tell us if all goes
well an additional flight will be added to the
schedule by this summer. Currently the airport offers
three incoming and three outgoing flights each day. 




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