February Passenger Count Jumps 11% at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport

Date: March 9, 2004
Name: Bailis Bell, Director of Airports
Phone: (316) 946-4700
E-mail:

February 2004 passenger volumes at Mid-Continent Airport grew 11% from February 2003. Airport officials attribute much of this growth to the Fair Fares effort, which continues to save travelers millions of dollars in airfares and has been called by State legislators as "one of the best economic development efforts" implemented by the City of Wichita and Airport officials.

"This growth is especially significant when placed in the context of last year’s numbers when more passengers flew Mid-Continent Airport than any other year in its history," said Bailis Bell, Director of Airports. "This is great news that the passenger numbers continue to increase and it speaks volumes for this market and its potential."

For January and February 2004, passenger count at Mid-Continent Airport is at 208,686, which is 7.75% above the same period last year. In February, 99,773 passengers flew Mid-Continent while February 2003 had 90,215 passengers. This accounts for 10.71% increase. For full details of activity reports and the history from year to year, go to www.flywichita.com and click on "Statistics."

This comes off the heels of a recent announcement that named Wichita Mid-Continent Airport on the list of Top 20 fastest-growing airports in the country by AviationDaily. According to the report, passenger volumes at Mid-Continent grew 17 percent from September 2000 to September 2003. With an average fare of $131.40, Mid-Continent’s fares were lower than 57 percent of the airports listed on the study’s Top 50 Passenger Growth Airports list.

About Fair Fares: Fair Fares is a public/private partnership that began in December 2001 with the intent to bring low-cost carriers to Mid-Continent Airport, Kansas’ largest commercial airfield. In November 2003, the initiative turned its focus toward stabilizing and expanding the low-cost advantage at Mid-Continent and extending Fair Fares service and fares to communities across the State.

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