Southwest Florida International Airport Records 18th Consecutive Month of Record-Setting Passenger Traffic

March 22, 2004 05:20 PM US Eastern Timezone 

Southwest Florida International Airport Records 18th
Consecutive Month of Record-Setting Passenger Traffic 

FORT MYERS, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 22, 2004--The
number of passengers traveling though Southwest
Florida International Airport during February
increased by 18.3 percent - more than 110,000 people -
compared to February 2003. With a passenger count of
more than 710,000, last month became the busiest
February in the airport's 21-year history, and the
18th consecutive month to set a record. 


"This is only the fourth time that more than 700,000
passengers used the airport in a single month and the
first time it occurred in February," said Robert M.
Ball, A.A.E., executive director of the Lee County
Port Authority. "The previous three times were all in
March - 2001, 2002 and 2003 - which always has been
our busiest month of the year. 

"We hope that Southwest Floridians will spread the
word among their visiting friends and relatives that
the congestion in the current terminal is temporary.
The new terminal building that is under construction
will provide plenty of space and a wonderful ambience
when it opens in 2005," said Ball. 

Passenger traffic surged nationwide, up 6.3 percent
compared to February 2003 and 2.5 percent year to
date, according to the Air Transport Association.
Traffic is up 14 percent year to date at Southwest
Florida International Airport. 

Last month also was the airport's busiest February to
date for air cargo, with a 4.87 percent increase for
the month and a year-to-date jump of almost 9 percent.


Southwest Florida International Airport opened in 1983
and has accommodated more than 5 million passengers
annually since 2000. To learn more, log onto
http://www.SWFIA.com.

 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/dcfp/dcboard.php


*****************************************