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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Crowd gathers in Central Point for Memorial Day commemoration Emergency services, May 25 Central Point hopes to keep pot grows indoors Talent will clear weeds in rights of way Crews will open hiking trails rarely explored off lower Rogue River Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services, May 25 Stray bullet from drive-by nearly hits sleeping White City resident Emergency services, May 24 Emergency services, May 23 Jury will consider death penalty in double-murder case Politics and Elections Case, Salmon leading in Central Point School Board race Lundberg, Mannenbach leading Eagle Point races Jackson County district election turnout under 17 percent Arthur I. Cyr: Camp David summit will not help Mideast stability Ashland water bills could go up to fund watershed protection Education Departing Ashland High principal Zundel looks to next challenge Jacksonville Elementary students on stage at Britt Case, Salmon leading in Central Point School Board race Lundberg, Mannenbach leading Eagle Point races Ashland High's Michelle Zundel heading to Medford district Environment Crews will open hiking trails rarely explored off lower Rogue River OR-7, mate may be adding to their pack Rogue jet boat tour company eyes TouVelle for permanent home Why is Bear Creek so muddy? Blame Emigrant silt and winter storm Mt. Ashland Ski Area proposes summer adventure center State News Historic Grants Pass Forest Service compound headed to auction Oregon coast parkland sale to golf course developer is unprecedented In the Oregon Legislature: Impeachment, kicker rebate, gun control Bill would cancel 'kicker,' use money for budget reserves, education Oregon Senate passes bill keeping domestic abusers from having guns Nation - World Uh oh .... Apple Watch demand is weak Obituaries Warren Irving Paul Dorothy Isabelle Murphy Bayliss Bruce Michael McGregor Walter Schweiger Dawn Borns/Hagler/Huttl Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Check out top import and export for every U.S. state Patriots fan sets up GoFundMe page to help pay for team's Deflategate fine Sports Latest Stories Venom Victory Ducks again down No. 2 UCLA, await fate LeBron's triple-double boosts Cavaliers Stamkos has goal, assist to lift Lightning Edwards captures Coca-Cola for first win of season Varsity 541 College Sports Ducks again down No. 2 UCLA, await fate Stamkos has goal, assist to lift Lightning Alexander, Maguin capture NAIA titles Ducks take super regional, advance to World Series Mercado helps spark Ducks in Supers Pro Sports LeBron's triple-double boosts Cavaliers Edwards captures Coca-Cola for first win of season A look back at the Clay-Liston fight Kirk garners fourth title at Colonial Montoya garners second Indy 500 victory Community Sports Adrenaline boys, 96G Red girls off to hot starts Business Latest Stories Liability for fraud will fall to merchants who don't adopt new credit-card chip technology The Beanery coffeehouse in Ashland closes abruptly Blog: The Gateway to Summer Allegiant Air resumes flights to Arizona Two Crown Markets planned for Talent Real Estate News Single-family home sales take off Never enough: New Starbucks proposed on Barnett Road in Medford Jackson County debt-ridden homeowners have an option People In Business People in Business Transportation Allegiant Air resumes flights to Arizona Tourism stronger than ever in Southern Oregon Medford airport still flying high with record passenger counts Agriculture 1-800Flowers.com reports $10.5 million loss in third quarter Opinion Latest Letters to the Editor, May 25 Kathleen Parker: Who's the studliest of them all? Our View: Don't siphon off prison savings just yet Letters to the Editor, May 24 Guest Opinion: BLM management plans fail people and forests Editorials Our View: Don't siphon off prison savings just yet Other Views: PERS ruling leaves little room to maneuver Our View: Free tuition could fly if 'fifth-year' plans reined in Our View: Josephine voters choose lawlessness again Our View: Renovating the Capitol is important but costly Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, May 25 Letters to the Editor, May 24 Letters to the Editor, May 22 Letters to the Editor, May 21 Letters to the Editor, May 20 Columns Kathleen Parker: Who's the studliest of them all? Guest Opinion: BLM management plans fail people and forests You want what-ifs? Here's one George Will: Kaine's quest for war legitimacy Dana Milbank: My return to organized labor Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: BLM management plans fail people and forests Guest Opinion: Medford needs SkyPark more than it needs parking Guest Opinion: Ample water? Think again Guest Opinion: Oregon mothers need much more than flowers Guest Opinion: Child poverty and the Schneider Children’s Center Lifestyle Latest stories Prudence Hilburn: Peanut butter, chocolate are a timeless pairing Mr. Campbell and fun with engineering Make herbs part of your plant world Tips for upping your age IQ Adopt a Pet Food Prudence Hilburn: Peanut butter, chocolate are a timeless pairing Community blog: Roasting rhubarb riffs on beet-goat cheese salad Page H. Onorato: Saturday brought treat for supper Taste of Alba Wine by the keg, growler, box and ammo can Home and Garden Make herbs part of your plant world Homeowner’s insurance: What it covers, what it excludes Monarchs are disappearing, but you can help with a wildflower garden Linda Cobb: Time to make a list of spring garden chores Dear Monty: Novice homebuyer’s first attempt disappointing Health Community blog: It�s a Shame: How to Understand and Manage It Health Watch: How to avoid the diet rut Donna Knight: How to lessen your risk Community blog: Little Free Libraries Community blog: Fasting out of Cancer Hiking Biking Faith Religion Briefs: Friday, May 22 Religion Briefs: Friday, May 15 Religion Briefs: Friday, May 8 Religion Briefs: Friday, May 1 Milestones and Achievements Prefontaine-style running trail proposed in south Medford Bukair-Hinkle Wedding: Stephanie Anne Obad and Mark Douglass Schmor Ashland water bills could go up to fund watershed protection Drones helping create unique wedding photos Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories 5 things to do in the Rogue Valley Live Music in Local Clubs Memorial Day celebrates veterans Rogue Rage Duo at The Point SOU presents Shakespeare's 'The Winter's Tale' Theater SOU presents Shakespeare's 'The Winter's Tale' OSF commissioned plays tour throughout country 'Cuckoo's Nest' is a big play, well presented 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' REVIEW: Randall Theatre's 'Little Shop of Horrors' a rollicking good time Music Live Music in Local Clubs Rogue Rage Duo at The Point The Farr Side: Swift dominates Billboard Music Awards Interview: Country mainstay T. Graham Brown reflects on career Laurie Lewis, Tom Rozum at The Mountain House Community Events Memorial Day celebrates veterans Third Friday: 'Into the Woods' is a must-see 5 things to see at Art in Bloom Flowers, art and music highlight Art in Bloom Hip-Hop Poetry Open Mic at OSF's Black Swan in Ashland Movies Interview: ‘Good Kill’ offers blistering look at ‘battlefields and blackjack’ of drone warfare Review: ‘Tomorrowland’ feels like another Disneyland staple — Dopey Movie review: Disney takes us to ‘Tomorrowland’ Dwayne Johnson rocks in a new way in ‘San Andreas’ Movie review: Cast keeps laughs coming in ‘Pitch Perfect 2’ Dining Upscale pub fare at The Point Wine by the keg, growler, box and ammo can 6 stars of the Rogue Valley food universe Cool down with a cold one (or two, or three) Nguyen Street Food Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Crowd gathers in Central Point for Memorial Day commemoration ... Arson investigators to look into fire that destroyed 4,600-square-foot riverfront home ... Two arrested after 100-mph car chase with toddler in backseat ... Crowd gathers in Central Point for Memorial Day commemoration ... Arson investigators to look into fire that destroyed 4,600-square-foot riverfront home ... Two arrested after 100-mph car chase with toddler in backseat ... AIR TRAVEL Medford airport still flying high with record passenger counts Comment By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted May. 12, 2015 at 2:03 PM Updated May 12, 2015 at 4:09 PM By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted May. 12, 2015 at 2:03 PM Updated May 12, 2015 at 4:09 PM » Social News Even with fewer commercial flights, the Medford airport reeled off its eighth-straight record month for passenger travel in April. The 17 daily departures, one down from a year ago, still carried off and delivered 57,060 passengers in April, up 14 percent from the 49,897 a year earlier and easily beyond the previous top mark of 51,798 in 2007. The reason is capacity, said Airport Director Bern Case. "We have more seats." Soaring operations costs changed commercial airlines models in the final decades of 20th century. Fuel, ground and flight crew expenses escalated, spawning mergers followed by reduced competition and increasing use of smaller planes. But as passenger demand — here and elsewhere — has overcome post-9/11 and Great Recession hurdles, the need for seats has led SkyWest to upgrade from 30-passenger EMB 120 Brasilias to 50- and 70-passenger Bombardier regional jets. In May 2014, the available outbound seats from the Medford airport totaled 31,540. The seat count this month will be 34,916, a 10 percent jump, primarily attributable to United Express, operated by St. George, Utah-based SkyWest Airlines, converting to regional jets beginning in late 2014. "Some of the airlines were running a 90-percent load factor, which is good for them," Case said. "But there are still some seats and they have room to grow." The Medford airport numbers include both arriving and departing passengers, so the potential is close to 70,000 passengers even before Allegiant adds seasonal service to Arizona this summer. "Airlines adjust their planes by the volume they're handling and what the market will bear," said Brian Meine of Caveman Travel in Grants Pass. If they are filling planes and don't want to add flights, they'll send in a bigger plane." Seven of the eight record-breaking months have been seen double-digit growth. However, April marked the first time since January all four commercial carriers reported year-over-year increases. Delta Connection was up 27.3 percent, United Express up 26.4 percent and Allegiant up 12.2 percent, while Alaska's Horizon Air unit, the dominant player in the market, saw an 8.3 percent gain. "It's pretty good when all four are doing well," Case said. "Back to January they where all up, Allegiant was only up 3 percent." Through the first four months of the year, the airport has processed 213,123 passengers, up 16 percent from the same time frame in 2014.  Case said no new destinations are on the docket, partly because Minneapolis, Chicago and other possible destinations are just beyond the effective range of the regional jets. Another smaller Oregon airport made headlines last week when a United Airlines Boeing 737 flying from Chicago to Portland was diverted to Pendleton because it didn't have enough fuel to circle indefinitely during President Obama's visit to Portland.  "For us, it's a matter of a few flights when a president is here," Case said. "For Portland, it's a real inconvenience involving probably hundreds of flights. When a president or candidate comes here during political years, it's good for the local economy, so you take the pain with it." Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 541-776-4463 or  [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter at  www.twitter.com/GregMTBusiness , on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/greg.stiles.31 , and read his blog at  www.mailtribune.com/EconomicEdge .   By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted May. 12, 2015 at 2:03 PM Updated May 12, 2015 at 4:09 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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