Airport traffic rises

FORT MYERS — Southwest Florida International Airport posted a gain in passenger traffic in July compared with the same month a year ago, the first year-over-year gain since May 2011.

The 464,896 passengers who passed through the Fort Myers airport in July represented a 1.7% increase over July 2011, according to the Lee County Port Authority.

Airlines have cut routes and reduced the number of flights to Fort Myers and they've raised fares as the industry consolidated. The last time the Fort Myers posted an annual monthly gain was in May 2011, according to airport statistics.

Delta carried the most passengers to and from Fort Myers in July, with more than 117,000 passengers. In addition to Delta, the top five airlines at Southwest Florida International Airport include AirTran, Southwest, JetBlue and USAirways.