Springfield airport sees passenger numbers soar in May

After many months of declines, passenger numbers at Springfield-Branson National Airport have been slowly creeping up since March - and they hit an unexpected surge in May.

Airport officials said Thursday that May passenger numbers were up 17 percent compared to May 2008, marking the airport's 10th busiest month on record. The increase comes after 14 straight months of decreases and flat figures in April.

The airport recorded 81,496 passengers for the month, compared to 69,368 a year ago - despite the fact that its airlines have cut their number of flights in Springfield by 8 percent, according to a news release.

"The May numbers are a surprise," Director of Aviation Gary Cyr said in a news release. "It was the 10th busiest month in the airport's history. To manage that, in the middle of a recession, is a tribute to the strength of the Springfield-Branson air market and the local economy."

Allegiant Air posted the most significant increase, with 55 percent more passengers in May, according to a separate news release. American Airlines had a 16 percent increase, Delta/Northwest had a 7 percent increase, and United had a 2 percent increase.

Officials attribute the growth to lower fares, as airlines try to fill seats by cutting prices; the opening of the airport's new terminal on May 6; and an airport advertising campaign leading up to the terminal's opening - an event that closely coincided with the opening of the new Branson Airport.

"In April and early May, the Springfield media market was saturated with airport advertising and airport media coverage," Cyr said in the release. "I suspect a lot of people decided to check us out, and they discovered that they could afford to fly from Springfield."