The Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport experienced a record level of growth in passenger numbers in 2004.
Over 366,000 passengers were served by the airport in 2004, representing a total increase of 12.71 percent from 2003, the airport reported in a press release last week.
The growth is attributed to additional daily flights to New York's LaGuardia Airport, Philadelphia and Charlotte, the release said. Regional jet service has also increased through United Express and Delta Connection, which provides passengers with more flight options.
"The other part of growth is the overall decrease in air fares in the last year," said Barbara Hutchinson, director of finance and administration for the airport.
Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport now has similar fares with the Richmond and Washington/Dulles airports, Hutchinson said.
"University students and University associated activities comprise a large part of our market," Hutchinson said. "They are some part or a large part of the growth we have experienced."
Competitive prices in relation to other area airports also made the airport more appealing, second-year College student Michael Thurston said.
"It is convenient, not having to go home to Norfolk to fly out or up to [Washington] D.C.," Thurston said.
As a smaller airport, the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport offers less of a wait, Hutchinson said.
"It is much faster than larger Airports," she said, with a check-in time of "less than 45 minutes."
Hutchinson said FAA numbers predict that next year's passenger numbers for most airports will increase between 2 and 4 percent.
"The new [Northwest] service offering nonstop flights to Detroit will allow the airport to meet and hopefully exceed the 2-percent projection of air travel growth," Hutchinson said.
The Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport offers between 75,000 and 78,000 flights in and out each year and serves approximately 1,000 passengers each day.
The airport collaborates with the University in accommodations for chartered flights for the football, basketball and other athletic teams, as well as offering shuttles for the University during high volume weekends, Hutchinson said.
"We value the use from community that makes us a viable option," Hutchinson said.
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