Flight traffic up in New York area despite Sandy: Port Authority

Thursday February 21, 2013 7:36 PM By TIM HERRERA

Photo credit: John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) (Getty Images) | John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK)

Superstorm Sandy didn't keep travelers at home, as traffic at all four area airports was up 3.3% last year compared to 2011, according to the Port Authority.

Passenger traffic at the airports grew at four times the national average, for a total of 109.4 million fliers, which nearly matched the 2007 record of 110 million.

Kennedy Airport hit an all-time high with 49.3 million passengers in 2012, and LaGuardia Airport jumped 6.6% last year to 25.7 million passengers, largely due to expanded service from Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways.

The gains came despite thousands of flight cancellations because of Sandy, which crippled flight travel for days after it hit the city on Oct. 29.

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