Passenger count through Reno airport down

The count was down 12.6 percent, or 86,619 passengers, from March 1998.

"We expected a decrease ... but this was a little more than we anticipated," said airport spokesman Adam Mayberry.

He attributed the decline to the lack of a major bowling tournament in Reno this year, and to 12 fewer flights by Reno Air.

It marked the ninth straight monthly decline at the airport.

Despite the depressed March passenger count of 589,132, airlines filled 80.7 percent of their seats with paying passengers.

Mayberry called the rate "phenomenal," saying it was up 8 percent from March 1998.

Southwest Airlines continued to carry the most passengers, grabbing 30.4 percent of the share.

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