More travelers passing through OIA as Central Florida reopens

ORLANDO, Fla. — Officials at Orlando International Airport say they’ve recently seen a steady growth in the number of passengers since it took a major hit when the coronavirus essentially shut down Central Florida.

At the lowest point, only 1,500 people went through the airport for the month of March, according to Senior Director of Airport Operations Tom Draper.

“Here in the terminal in March, it was very, very quiet,” Draper said.

However, Draper says that number has been steadily increasing, with more than 150,000 people passing through in April, and nearly double that in May.

June data is still being compiled but Draper says those numbers also look promising.

“The flight activity is increasing, and the loads seem to be building up,” Draper said.

Draper attributed the growth to improved consumer confidence as Central Florida theme parks and other attractions start to reopen.

Despite the recent increase, Draper says they’re still far below the passenger activity they saw this time last year, facing a 92% drop from last May.

Cox Media Group