The Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport saw a 6 percent decrease in December traffic versus November. December saw 23,384 passengers fly via ROA compared to 25,020 in November, a reduction of 1,636 passengers. The airport’s loss of 1,636 passengers from November to December equates to 52 fewer passengers flying each day. A majority of college students were home between Thanksgiving and early January, which drove traffic down, compared to November.
The airport saw a decrease in December traffic of 62 percent on a year-over-year basis; however, nationally, traffic was off 64 percent. December 2020 saw 23,384 passengers fly via ROA compared to 61,827 in December 2019, a decrease of 38,443 passengers. For the year, 2020 passenger traffic was down 59 percent versus 2019, with 291,718 passengers served this year compared to 719,707 in 2019.
“Passengers are more and more comfortable with the measures taken by the air carriers and airports to ensure their safety,” stated David Jeavons, interim executive director of the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission. “We hope traffic increases throughout the winter. 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.”
The Commission works with the airlines to maintain air service the airport has to serve the region. They are open and operational if the public needs to fly and have implemented enhanced cleaning protocols, as have their airlines, to make air travel as safe as possible.
