Daily Flights Drop at N.C. Airport

"While I'm disappointed that we've lost flights, I'm not overly concerned, and I believe those flights will come back to us in due time," he said.

Johnson said that consumers might have problems getting on some flights during the holiday season, but not normally.

He also doesn't expect passenger numbers, scheduled to be released today, to be down for November, at least not double-digit percentage rates.

So far the decrease in passengers hasn't had a big effect on the airport's operating revenue, which was up 6.4 percent in October at $10. 3 million compared to $9.7 million for the same period in 2004.

Debbage doesn't expect passenger volume to drop quite as dramatically as the number of daily flights since airlines are trying to match demand with their seats.

In fact, he suspects that the decrease in passengers and flights at PTIA are temporary issues.

"I honestly think that come spring and summer the airport will turn it around," he said.

Despite the difficult times in the airline industry, airport authority officials said they are glad that they are expanding the airport's north concourse, a $7 million project that will provide gates for new and existing airlines, including Delta.

"You can't sell something that you don't have," Isaacson said.

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