                                ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Tuesday, January 30, 1996              TAG: 9601300076
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: B-6  EDITION: METRO

ROANOKE REGIONAL ECONOMIC INDICATORS

The number of passengers boarding planes at Roanoke Regional Airport fell 12.34 percent last year from 1994, but Mark Courtney, director of marketing and planning, said the situation is merely returning to normal. Courtney said the 1995 figure of 327,845 was slightly ahead of 1993, which was better than 1992. But the 1994 number - 373,986 - was spurred by fare wars between USAir and Continental.

Cargo figures were "stellar," but he expects the curve to flatten in 1996. Cargo has doubled over the past three years.

LENGTH: Short :   21 lines
ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC:  21 charts. color.

by CNB