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St. Pete-Clearwater airport gained passengers in June

News Channel 8 photo by PAUL LAMISON

St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport director Noah Lagos credits Allegiant Airlines for much of the traffic increase.

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By TED JACKOVICS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 14, 2009

CLEARWATER - St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport reported a 3 percent gain in passengers in June to 74,651, bucking a nationwide decline brought on by the recession.

June was the second month in the past three the Pinellas County airport gained passengers compared with year-ago figures, as gains in April broke eight consecutive months of decline.

"Allegiant Air has added new cities and increased ridership with an overall load factor in excess of 90 percent," airport director Noah Lagos said. "Their low fares, flying point to point, continue to attract the traveling public."

Lagos' year-end projection is that 2009 ridership will be flat from a year ago, or perhaps down 1 percent or 2 percent from the 2008 total of 742,380 passengers.

Ridership this year through June is down 5 percent to 464,630.

"This is most encouraging considering the lost ridership at other Florida commercial service airports," Lagos said.

Orlando International Airport, the state's busiest, reported its 12th consecutive month of decline in May to 2.9 million passengers.

Other state airports have not yet released June passenger figures.

Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reached at (813) 259-7817.

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