Photo: RBRA

Officials at Roanoke’s airport say the COVID pandemic gave them an unexpected opportunity to bring about something they have sought for years — airfares more in line with nearby airports. When the pandemic dramatically dropped passenger counts, Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport lowered rental fees for the airlines serving ROA. But Spokesperson Brad Boettcher says they insisted on something from the airlines in return: lower airfares. More from WFIR’s Evan Jones: