Underscoring the challenges facing the new head of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation, T.F. Green Airport yesterday reported disappointing passenger traffic figures for last month.

Green Airport recorded 354,641 passengers in December, 5.6 percent fewer than the same period in 2006 and 17.1 percent fewer than in December 2004.

The tally was published on the first day Kevin A. Dillon visited Rhode Island since he was hired on Monday.

Dillon, one of three deputy executive directors at Orlando International Airport in Florida, is not scheduled to start in Rhode Island until Feb. 18.

On that day, he will be handed an airport that moved only 5.02 million passengers last year, down 3.5 percent from 2006. The decline follows a 9-percent drop the year before, brought about by fewer flights and the swapping of large jets for smaller equipment by major carriers.

Passenger traffic also tumbled in November, ending a three-month streak of increased activity at the state’s major airport.

Traffic was up 2 percent in October, 1 percent in September and 0.4 percent in August. Those gains followed a string of monthly declines from October 2005 to August 2007.

Dillon is replacing Mark P. Brewer, who resigned Dec. 21 to assume the top position at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in New Hampshire.

Yesterday, Dillon attended the airport corporation’s monthly board meeting, and met with his future senior staff before returning to Florida.

bgedan@projo.com