International business helps drive Orlando airport gains

International business helps drive Orlando airport gains Orlando International Airport said gains in international business fueled a slight increase in first quarter volumes.
   The Orlando Aviation Authority said passenger traffic was up 1.35 percent during the first quarter. But the airport saw a 5.5 percent gain in international passengers in March to 215,000, reversing what had been a downward trend in international traffic over the last year, according to statistics from the Official Airline Guide. Overall, there were 3.3 million passengers during the month.
   'The figures for the first quarter of 2007 are elevated by the past two months, when we processed over three million passengers each month,' said Steve Garner, aviation authority director. He added the first quarter was a good indicator because volumes typically increase during the summer months. Initial numbers for the second quarter also indicate a slight increase in traffic.
   Orlando has the busiest passenger airport in Florida, handling nearly 35 million passengers a year, according to the aviation authority.