Projo Biz Blog

Journal archive photo / Glennn Osmundson
Kevin A. Dillon, the new director of T.F. Green Airport, starts today.

WARWICK -- Kevin A. Dillon, the new director of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation, moved into his office at T.F. Green Airport today.

Dillon arrives at a time of declining passenger traffic at Green Airport and financial strain for many air carriers, which are struggling with rising jet fuel prices.

Green Airport started 2008 by recording its lowest January passenger tally in the past four years. The airport moved 5.02 million passengers last year, down 3.5 percent from 2006. That decline followed a 9-percent drop the year before.

Dillon has promised to quickly begin an effort to reverse those trends. In an interview with The Providence Journal last month, he said he would push for the speedy lengthening of the runway, compete for new carriers and solicit support from Rhode Island businesses. In other states, businesses have committed to buying a minimum of tickets to encourage an airline to begin service.

"The business community has to support the airport in order for it to be successful," Dillon said at the time. "People start to take success for granted. They need to be reminded that the success can only continue if they continue to support the airport."

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