RDU Posts Positive Passenger Numbers for Seventh Straight Month

RDU Airport, NC – More than 800,000 passengers traveled through Raleigh-Durham International Airport during the month of July, an increase of 11 percent compared to the same travel period last year. 833,555 passengers used RDU last month, the highest total at the airport since August 2001. RDU's activity report was released today at the Airport Authority's monthly meeting.

Since January 2004, the airport has reported only positive gains in passenger activity. For year-to-date, the number of passengers traveling through RDU is seven percent higher than the first seven months of 2003.

American Airlines and American Eagle combined to be RDU's busiest carrier with more than 170,000 passengers and 73 daily departures. They were closely followed by Southwest Airlines and Delta, each with over 150,000 passengers in July.

One reason for the growth is the increasing number of flights offered from RDU. Over the past year, airlines serving RDU have added 42 daily departures. Today, nine major airlines offer 488 daily flights to and from 39 cities.

Recent service additions include Southwest Airlines' flights to Philadelphia, American Airlines daily departures to Providence and Independence Air's launch of inaugural service in June.

Also at today's meeting, the Authority voted to implement the airport's latest customer service initiative. A talking bus system, which will be unveiled early next year, will make automated announcements to RDU shuttle bus patrons arriving at the terminal or park and ride lots. Customers waiting for shuttle bus service will also hear an automated message stating the destination of the bus approaching them. The new program will also include a bus management system to ensure on-time shuttle service for RDU customers.

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