Fort Myers airport traffic jumps

FORT MYERS — Passenger traffic rose 6.1% in April at Southwest Florida International Airport compared with the same month one year ago.

A total of 865,554 passengers passed through the Fort Myers airport in April, with Delta as the largest carrier with 171,831 passengers, according to the Lee County Port Authority. Other large carriers at the airport included Southwest, JetBlue, United and USAirways.

A later Easter holiday likely boosted in airport traffic in April compared with April 2013. That's because the Easter holiday this year fell on April 20, about three weeks later than it did in 2013. The winter visitor season in Southwest Florida traditionally extends through the Easter holiday. In 2015, Easter falls on April 5.

The increase in passenger traffic in April came despite the fact that there were fewer takeoffs and landings at Southwest Florida International Airport. The Lee County Port Authority reported a 5.2% drop in takeoffs and landings in April compared with April 2013.