Tulsa Int'l Airport Reports Most Passengers Since 9/11

On the same day that news of a terror plot caused government officials to raise the threat level at U.S. airports, Tulsa International Airport reported its highest number of enplanements through July since before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks devastated the airline industry. More than 928,000 passengers boarded planes at Tulsa International this year through July 31, the highest year-to-date total since 1,009,865 passengers boarded planes through July 2001. "(Tulsa International is) definitely on an upward trend," said Alexis Higgins, a spokeswoman for the Tulsa Airport Authority.

"As our economy begins to pick up, we expect our enplanements to slowly continue creeping toward pre-9/11 numbers. " Higgins said the increase in passengers is somewhat surprising given the fact that Tulsa International has offered fewer and fewer flights since Sept. 11. She said that before the attacks, around 90 planes per day departed the airport. That number is now around 80 departures per day. She said the cutbacks are the result of airlines decreasing the frequency of service to certain cities, including Tulsa, and limiting flights by larger jets. "We're trying not only to get our passenger numbers back up to pre-9/11 (totals), but our air service as well," she said. Jeff Mulder, airports director for the Tulsa Airport Authority, said he thinks the decline of the U.S. economy following the Sept. 11 attacks had as much impact on the airline industry as any reservations among passengers about security. He said he expects numbers at Tulsa International will continue to rise, despite the current level of heightened security causing delays. "I think passengers have gotten used to the security measures and have adapted to them very well," he said. "We've had extra measures in place all day today with very few problems. " Higgins said she thinks passengers will take some comfort in the fact that the terror plot in London was thwarted, and that U.S. airlines provided swift security measures. "I'd think it would be reassuring to passengers that the security measures put in place since 9/11 are working," she said. Will Rogers World Airport hasn't yet released its enplanement figures through July, but spokeswoman Karen Carney said the numbers have steadily increased over several months. Through the end of June, 888,584 passengers had boarded planes at Will Rogers, a 2.8-percent increase from a year earlier. Carney said plane traffic at Will Rogers has improved to the point that some officials have stopped using the industry-wide downturn caused by Sept. 11 as a primary basis of comparison. Officials at both Will Rogers and Tulsa International said they hope the recent surge in passenger traffic continues, despite the news of another terrorist plot involving commercial airplanes. From what she's seen, Carney said she thinks it will. "People seem to be very understanding and willing to fly," she said.

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