Lynchburg, Va., Company Opens Parking Lot Near Richmond International Airport.

Byline: Chip Jones

Nov. 6--The nation's airlines reportedly will lose $7 billion this year. Some travelers are still skittish about flying, a fact that's shown every day by empty seats on airplanes.

Locally, Richmond International Airport reported last week that its income dropped by $1 million in September in comparison with the same month last year.

That news was followed by layoffs of 20 employees, many of them veterans such as Robert C. Brammer, who served as acting executive director for nearly a year before the hiring of current chief Jon Mathiasen.

Against this bleak backdrop, it hardly seems like a great time to open a new business …