December 13, 2000
Lehigh Valley International Airport Reports Busy Start to Holiday Season

Contact:
Susan Kittle
Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority
1 - 800 - FLY - LVIA

Lehigh Valley, Pa.- Airport officials reported 92,460 passengers traveled through the Lehigh Valley International Airport for November 2000. This is a 6.64% increase in passenger growth from November of 1999 when 86,706 travelers utilized the airport. The airport has been experiencing steady increases in its passenger traffic. In the past twelve-month period, one million, fourteen thousand, two hundred and three (1,014,203) passengers used Lehigh Valley International Airport.

Pan American Airways began service November 13, 2000 to the Boston, St. Louis and Chicago regions. They will begin service to Bangor, Maine and Sanford/Orlando, Florida on January 8, 2001.

"I am extremely pleased with the continued growth in the number of passengers who are using our airport. We continue to attract passengers from throughout Eastern Pennsylvania and Northern New Jersey," reported George F. Doughty, Executive Director for the Lehigh Northampton Airport Authority. "All twelve airlines serving the Lehigh Valley International Airport have experienced passenger growth. The continued success of Delta Express and USAirways with their affordable fare and nonstop jet service to Orlando has played a major role in the passenger volume growth."

The Airport Authority has continued its advertising campaign on major television stations and cable channels, radio and newspapers in Eastern Pennsylvania and Northern New Jersey. "It is clear that this program is making people in our region aware that they have a convenient easy to use alternative to Philadelphia and Newark" Doughty said.

Lehigh Valley International Airport is located near Allentown, Pennsylvania and serves a twelve county area with a population of 2.3 million people. The Airport is easily accessible from communities in Northern New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania.