Airline Cutbacks Have Far-Reaching Effects

Business at

Raleigh-Durham International Airport

is down across the board.

Car rental agencies have seen a drop in customers, and taxi drivers are feeling the pinch of fewer travelers.

However, RDU officials remain optimistic.

We're seeing everyday it [go] up in terms of the number of parking spaces people are occupying and the number of passengers coming into the terminals and flying," says RDU's Mirinda Kossoff.

The airport is in the middle of a multi-million dollar expansion project. Some new vendors have moved in but some concession areas that closed for renovations are still closed because of the reduced passenger traffic.

At Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, airport officials want permission from the FAA to allow visitors into the gate areas to increase the traffic.