Leslie Turk

NO airport third fastest-growing in nation

by Leslie Turk

Only two other large non-hub airports, San Antonio, Texas, and Lexington, Ky., will grow faster than New Orleans' Louis Armstrong through 2016, according to a study by lead aviation consulting firm Boyd International.

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is the third fastest growing airport in the United States. Only two other large non-hub airports, San Antonio, Texas, and Lexington, Ky., will grow faster through 2016, according to a study by lead aviation consulting firm Boyd International.

The number of passenger boardings at the airport (located in Kenner) is expected to climb 9.5 percent from 2008 to 2014. While airlines across the country are cutting back on air capacity to save money in a tight economy, the local airport -- still recovering the service it lost following Hurricane Katrina -- hasn't been as impacted by those cuts.

In the report, Boyd analyzed 147 airports with a focus on population, economic factors, airline service trends and extraordinary local factors.