The nation's economic downturn continues to take a toll on passenger traffic at Richmond International Airport.

RIC's traffic declined 8.1 percent in August compared with the same month last year, the Capital Region Airport Commission reported yesterday.

"Everything's down," the airport's president and chief executive officer, Jon E. Mathiasen, said.

Air freight, air mail and air operations were also off, the commission reported.

In August, 312,143 travelers used RIC, compared with 339,807 passengers in August 2007, which was the single best month for passenger traffic in the airport's history.

August's traffic also reflects the effect of discount carrier Skybus Airlines going out of business in April, Mathiasen said. Skybus' traffic amounted to a quarter of the airport's August passenger decrease.

Despite the decrease, the month was the second-best August in Richmond International's history.