XNA sees first annual decline in passenger traffic
by January 9, 2009 12:09 am 55 views
The Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) has posted a decline in annual enplanements for the first time in its operational history.
Enplanements at XNA in 2008 totaled 571,845, down 4.5 percent from the 2007 total of 598,886, according to figures from the airport’s Web site.
December enplanements were 43,992, down 6.4 percent compared to December 2007.
It’s certainly a sign of what’s happening in the national airline industry and of the reduction of business travel during these tough economic times.
The airport opened in November 1998, and recorded total enplanements of 329,216 in 1999. The enplanement level saw impressive growth until leveling off in 2006.
XNA enplanements this decade:
2000: 367,157
2001: 374,722
2002: 400,063
2003: 448,228
2004: 511,714
2005: 583,940
2006: 586,320
2007: 598,886
2008: 571,845
As of Thursday (Jan. 8) the Fort Smith Regional Airport had not posted its December 2008 enplanement figures.
November passenger traffic at the Fort Smith airport fell 26.3 percent compared to November 2007. Between January and November 2008, 80,287 passengers traveled out of the airport, an almost 12 percent decline compared to the same period in 2007.