The Wilmington International Airport's recently released passenger statistics plummeted in March, the first reported figures to show a sizable impact from the coronavirus pandemic on the airport.

ILM had more than 42,500 passengers flying in and out of the airport in March, down 47% from that same month last year, which saw nearly 80,900 travelers.

The most recent ILM figures showed there were 20,300 departures in March, down nearly 50% from March 2019, which had about 40,100 passengers. ILM's arrivals were at about 22,400 passengers this March, down 46% from 40,800 the previous year.

Airport officials directed questions to a statement on ILM's website.

"The reduction in enplanements and deplanements directly correlates with COVID-19 flight impacts as previously reported," the statement said.

The numbers are consistent with those nationwide, according to the statement. Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) checkpoint travel numbers on March 31 showed about 146,300 travelers, down almost 93% from the more than 2 million that same day last year.

More recently, TSA reported there were just over 90,500 travelers on Easter Sunday, down 96% from the nearly 2.5 million travelers that day a year ago.

"This is the first month since January 2018 that ILM has not increased enplanements over the previous year," the ILM statement said. "ILM continues to move essential passengers and cargo through the pandemic."

In January 2018, ILM had nearly 56,000 travelers flying in and out of the airport that month.

The numbers are a reflection of travel restrictions and less overall demand as a result of the novel coronavirus. 

Airlines at ILM have reduced services as a result of the pandemic, starting with United Airlines, which suspended its daily nonstop flights between ILM and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) for two months. Since then, other services have been experiencing delays.

ILM in March reported that the impacts were due to COVID-19, asking travelers to check with airlines about their flight status. 

Then at the end of the month, ILM reported United was reducing the number of daily flights between ILM and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD).

ILM reported also that American Airlines was temporarily suspending flights between ILM and New York La Guardia (LGA), with the last flight April 7. The airline was also slated to reduce the number of daily flights between ILM and Charlotte Douglas International Airport, and also Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport. Flights between ILM and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were scheduled to drop to twice weekly.

Delta Air Lines began reducing the number of daily flights to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) this month.

And while airlines have reduced flights and TSA has placed some of its ILM workforce on safety leave, ILM has been able to "retain full staff," stated an update on its website. The airport has made shift modifications to allow some employees time to stay home with family, and in some cases, work remotely.