Logan not quite back to pre-9/11 traffic

More than five years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks sent the US aviation industry into a tailspin, Logan International Airport officials long for the day they can say travel is back to pre-9/11 levels.

But it looks as if they'll have to wait one more year: 2006 passengers counts, reported today, fell 0.005 percent short of beating Logan's all-time record, set in 2000.

A total of 27,725,443 passengers used Logan in the year ended Dec. 31, according to the Massachusetts Port Authority, which runs the airport. That was 1,390 fewer than in 2000.

Logan spokesman Phil Orlandella attributed the volume to several factors: continued strong demand for travel, increased service by low-cost carriers at Logan, better parking, an increase in the number of nonstop destinations from Logan to 78 domestically and 33 internationally, and public faith in airport security.

Passenger volume was up 2.4 percent, compared to 2005, even as total flights at the airport fell 1 percent. Vividly demonstrating the success of financially struggling airlines' success in scheduling and flying the smallest, fullest planes possible, Logan last year handled essentially the same number of passengers as in 2000 -- but with 16.7 percent fewer total flights. Logan had 406,119 takeoffs and landings last year, compared to 487,996 in 2000.

"It's like the old beer commercial, 'Tastes great, less filling.' We can tell the community: more passengers, less flights,'' Orlandella said.
(By Peter J. Howe, Globe staff)