Briefcase

Freight up at airport, passengers down

Traffic at Spokane International Airport was down in September following a reduction in the number of flights and available seats through Spokane.

Passenger boardings were down by 4.92 percent over September 2010, with 127,097 persons departing Spokane compared with 134,159 a year ago.

Boardings at the airport are down 2.77 percent for the first nine months of the year.

Service cuts include flights by United Airlines to Chicago and by Horizon Air to Boise and Northern California, said Todd Woodard, airport spokesman.

By contrast, freight handling went up to 5,133.8 tons, compared with 4,031 tons in September 2010. A large part of the increase is due to more UPS freight being handled here, airport officials said.

Felts Field in east Spokane saw a 4.03 percent increase in aviation operations and a 7 percent increase in freight for the month. Weather conditions allowed for more flights.

Mike Prager

Accounting probe delays Pringles sale

CINCINNATI – Procter & Gamble Co. says the $1.5 billion sale of its Pringles division to Diamond Foods Inc. will be delayed until the end of June because of an internal investigation at Diamond into its accounting.

Procter & Gamble originally had expected the sale to close by the end of this year.

Diamond Foods said Tuesday its board of directors is investigating external communication regarding the company’s accounting for crop payments to walnut growers. Procter & Gamble said the sale would occur after the investigation is completed.

The companies announced the deal in April. It would complete P&G’s exit from all major food businesses.

Diamond Foods’ shares fell $6.62, or 10.3 percent, to $57.50 in after-hours trading after the announcement. Procter & Gamble shares rose 18 cents to $62.89 after hours.

Associated Press