I drove Airport Drive in Richmond yesterday, through Richmond International Airport, and including the part between VA 895 and Charles City Rd. that the Highway Browser shows as VA 281. The only VA 281 route markers along Airport Dr. are junction markers at Charles City Rd. (on both northbound and southbound Airport Dr.) indicating that VA 281 is (part of) Charles City Rd., not Airport Dr. I have a photo of the intersection, from northbound Airport Dr., which I can post later if that helps.
There also are no markers on the three overhead signs on eastbound VA 895 approaching the Airport Dr. exit, only blank spaces where a route marker would normally go.
I drove a few miles of Charles City Rd. from Airport Dr., west past Laburnum Ave. and east to Britton Rd. UPDATE: I later drove the rest of Charles City Rd. from west to east. I saw no VA 281 markers confirming that it's VA 281, or indicating where the route ended.