ROANOKE, Va. – Roanoke’s airport didn’t see much change in its passenger traffic for the second straight month.
In September, 21,659 passengers flew into and out of the Star City.
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That’s a decrease from August’s 21,704, but a slight increase from July’s 21,029.
The decrease from August to September was just 45 people, which represents about one person per day in a month. Because September is a day shorter than August, the airport doesn’t see the change as a decrease, rather, a flat month.
The airport saw a decrease in September 2020 traffic of 64% on a year-over-year basis; with 21,659 passengers in 2020 compared to 60,253 in September 2019.
“We are pleased to see passenger traffic holding steady as we move out of summer and into the fall,” said Timothy T. Bradshaw, the executive director of the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission. “Passengers are more and more comfortable in the measures taken by the air carriers and airports to ensure their safety. We hope traffic grows through the fall. Lower overall airfare has stimulated demand, and as airlines rebuild their schedules, it is critical to use our current service not only to keep it but also to have more restored and help our economy grow. We continue to appreciate the support of our community, choosing ROA, and not driving out of the market to fly.”
Historically, it’s been no guarantee that more people would fly in September than August. In 2016 and 2019, more people flew; however, in 2015, 2017 and 2018 the airport saw an August to September decrease.