BIG JUMP IN LOCAL AIR PASSENGERS

Passenger totals at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport soared out of the stratosphere during the first two months of the quarter which ends Dec. 31.

"Enplanements have been up all year," said Bruce Loy, airport manager. "But, the totals of the past two months have to be among the best in history. We've had two really good months, and totals have held pretty good in December."

More than 1,000 boardings were reported in October, at 1,082, and the count was even better in November, with 1,110 passengers.

"Procter & Gamble Paper Company airplane totals shoved up the totals during the two big months, with more than 400 boardings each in October and November," said Loy.

The P&G totals, along with increased flights on Transworld Express (TWE) put the totals at almost 2,200 for the two months.

For the year, P&G has logged 3,445 boardings, up almost 1,000 over the 2,548 boardings through November of 1996.

The Transworld passenger count was up for the two months -- 665 in October and 649 in November.

Although December totals won't be available until next month, "they're up," said Loy. "TWE enplanements could reach the 500 level this month."

"We're real pleased," added Loy. "We could finish up with between 8,500 and 9,000."

Those are big increases over the past two years' boarding numbers -- 6,291 in 1996 and 7,271 in 1995.

In fact, the figures could be the highest since 1990, the last year airport boardings were over the 10,000 mark.

Boardings of Trans World Express flights at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport have increased every month in 1997.

The airline handled 3,093 passengers during the first nine months of the year. By the end of November, the airline counted a total of 4,407 passengers, up 1,634 more than the 2,773 boardings counted at that time in 1996.

The peak business times for TWE have been October and November, with totals of 665 and 649 respectively, more than double the passenger count for the same two months a year ago.

TWE is the city's only commuter airline, with 19 flights a week to the St. Louis airport.

In October, Trans World added another flight per day, Sunday through Friday and initiated Saturday air service at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport.

Loy, a licensed commercial pilot who was named airport manager in February, works with Trans World Express.

TWE passengers

1996 1997

January 205 246

February 225 266

March 247 384

April 285 323

May 295 337

June 279 389

July 303 421

August 258 387

September 374 361

October 304 665

November 297 649

December 311 --

Totals: 3,284 *4,407

*December totals not included.

Total enplanements in 1990s

at Cape Regional Airport

1990 10,017

1991 8,784

1992 8,087

1993 7,850

1994 8,000

1995 7,271

1996 6,291

*1997 7,940

Totals 64,240

*December totals not included.