Air Traffic Down in Columbus

Air travel is an important measure of regional economic activity. At least for Columbus, OH, the numbers were down in 2003.

Port Columbus International Airport officials unveiled year-end passenger statistics on Tuesday, writing off 2003 as a "temporary setback." The airport served 6.3 million passengers in 2003, down 7.3 percent from 6.7 million passengers in 2002. Passenger traffic declined 12.8 percent in December to 493,037, from 565,226 in December of 2002.

The airport chalked up most of the decrease to service cutbacks by America West Airlines, which closed its Port Columbus hub in the spring.

Go here to read more.