Traveler, Cargo Traffic at Airport Hits Record High

Los Angeles International Airport posted record annual traffic in passengers and cargo for 1997, with 60.1 million travelers and nearly 2.1 million tons of goods passing through the facility, airport officials announced.

The number of travelers increased 3.7% over 1996. The amount of cargo was up nearly 9% over the previous year. International passenger traffic rose 5%, to 14.7 million, while domestic traffic grew 3.3%, to 45.4 million.

In addition, international air freight shipments rose 10% over 1996. In 1997, import and export tonnage was 843,247, compared with 765,634 in 1996.

Airport officials credited the increase in passenger traffic and cargo to the improved economy and increased international trade.

“The whole region is in the midst of an economic upturn and these figures are related to that,” said Nancy Castles, an airport spokeswoman. “International trade is up, and all those companies ship their goods by air to get them to where they’re going in a timely manner.”