(Blountville, Tenn.)-- The number of passengers using Tri-Cities Regional Airport leveled out in June with a positive increase of 0.1 percent for the month; yet passengers for the second quarter were still down 2.8 percent compared to the same quarter last year. Year-to-date, the Airport reports a decline in passengers of 5.3 percent.

"Although it was a modest increase for the month, we view it as an indicator that passenger counts are gradually shifting in a positive direction," said Melissa Thomas, TCRA director of marketing and air service development. "The increase was too small to have much effect on quarterly or year-to-date numbers yet, but preliminary reports for July show a stronger positive trend."

Summer is typically the strongest travel season, but higher airfares, fewer available seats and numerous delays and cancellations throughout the United States have made this summer challenging for passengers. However, on a positive note, community response to the new Allegiant Air low-fare service to Orlando-Sanford has been so enthusiastic that Allegiant will add an additional round-trip flight each week beginning November 8. Those additional seats available for sale should boost overall traffic numbers late in the year.