Airports Council International

Total freight handled worldwide fell by 16 percent compared to May 2008, with international freight down by 19 percent and domestic by 10 percent. However, May performance has added to stabilization of global freight volumes, in part as a result of further softening declines of international freight even though domestic freight has stagnated for three months now. (See Table 1)

Table 1: Summary Worldwide Traffic Results, MAY 2009 (% change)

YTD Jan - May 2009

Rolling 12 months,

through May 2009

International passenger

Domestic passenger

International freight

Domestic freight

Director General of ACI Angela Gittens comments, “ In May, freight results point to a small but hopeful indication that the downward trend is slowly reversing its steep drop. On the passenger side, international results took a direct hit from the H1N1 virus, although it is hard to calculate the exact degree to which travel plans were delayed or cancelled due to health concerns. Despite World Health Organization guidance that travel restrictions were not required, traveller caution and some national travel advisories accentuated the impact.”

Mexico was the market most strongly affected by the virus. Combined results from three major tourist destinations – Mexico City, Guadalajara and Cancun – show a dramatic drop in international ( -52.5 %), domestic (-30.5%) and total traffic (-40.2). International traffic in the USA, Mexico's largest international market, suffered consequently with large declines at gateways such as Dallas Fort Worth (-22%) and Los Angeles (-21%). H1N1 also likely had a dampening effect on international travel in the particularly health-sensitive Asia Pacific region where the major hubs' international traffic declined more than expected (Hong Kong -12%, Bangkok -23%, Singapore -10%, Narita -14%).

Domestic traffic remains depressed with below average data from major markets: USA, Mexico, Brazil, Spain and Japan. The overall fall in global domestic traffic is softened by continued strong performance in China (Beijing +23%).

ACI Director Economics Andreas Schimm comments, “ Global results for May fell within our expectations adding to an overall improving year-to-date trend despite a setback from health concerns. The 12 months rolling trend, however, is still declining, thus underlining that a sustained turnaround is yet to happen.” (See charts 3 and 6).

He adds, “May was the last of the growth reference months in 2008 (+3% total worldwide). June 2008 was flat which is why further softening of declines in June 2009 can be expected. On the freight side, improving business confidence reports, growing industrial outputs and better-than-expected GDP readings should result in increasing trade volumes and once again softer freight volume declines.”

Notes for editors

1. ACI, the only worldwide association of airports, is a non-profit organisation whose prime purpose is to represent the interests of airports and to promote professional excellence in airport management and operations. ACI has 597 members who operate over 1679 airports in 177 countries and territories.

2. PaxFlash and FreightFlash statistics are based on a significant sample of airports that provide regular monthly reports to ACI. They represent approximately 60% of total passenger traffic and 70% of total freight traffic worldwide. Commentary, tables and charts are based on data submitted by participating airports.

3. Passenger traffic growth percentages are based on total passengers departing and arriving at the airport, and the freight data include uploaded and downloaded freight tonnage. Please note that international plus domestic does not equal total, as some airports only provide total traffic figures. In the regional Tables 2 and 3, where the sample reports are insufficient to provide significant comparisons, the rows are left blank. Six traffic trend charts are included .

4. For queries concerning the statistics, please contact Nancy Gautier, Director Communications at ACI World, Geneva Switzerland, email ngautier@aci.aero

TABLE 2: PaxFlash Summary – May 2009

International passenger traffic

Domestic passenger traffic

T otal passenger traffic

Traffic table definitions:

YOY Year over year same month comparison ;

YTD Year to date, starting January 2009, compared to same period previous year

YE Year end, based on rolling 12 month period, compared to same prior 12 month period

PASSENGER TRAFFIC: departing + arriving passengers (000s)

INTERNATIONAL: traffic performed between the designated airport and an airport in another country/territory

DOMESTIC: traffic performed between two airports located in the same country/territory

TOTAL: international + domestic passengers + direct transit passengers counted once (when breakdown is available)

ASP – Asia Pacific (including India)

LAC – Latin America and Caribbean

MEA – Middle East

NAM – North America (USA and Canada)

TABLE 3: FreightFlash Summary – May 2009

Regions

May 2009

% YOY

YTD May 2009

% YOY

YE May 2009

% YOY

International Freight

AFR

26.6

(22.5)

135.0

(22.5)

371.0

(16.9)

ASP

1 159.1

(18.7)

5 308.7

(23.6)

14 560.1

(15.2)

EUR

633.7

(19.7)

3 021.6

(22.8)

8 283.7

(14.1)

LAC

72.3

(18.5)

342.5

(23.5)

969.4

(15.0)

MEA

259.9

0.8

1 228.9

(2.2)

3 102.4

2.5

NAM

417.0

(25.0)

2 019.8

(27.0)

5 598.9

(18.4)

ACI

2 568.7

(18.5)

12 056.4

(22.2)

32 885.5

(14.1)

Domestic Freight

AFR

1.5

(22.8)

8.6

(16.3)

21.5

(24.9)

ASP

354.7

0.1

1 694.6

(4.6)

4 231.0

(1.8)

EUR

28.2

(16.4)

136.2

(14.9)

373.1

(7.9)

LAC

65.2

(11.6)

303.4

(12.3)

830.5

(5.3)

MEA

NAM

900.9

(13.7)

4 455.4

(14.0)

11 340.5

(12.7)

ACI

1 350.5

(10.4)

6 598.3

(11.7)

16 796.6

(9.7)

T otal Freight

AFR

33.1

(20.1)

169.0

(19.6)

449.2

(16.0)

ASP

1 513.8

(14.9)

7 003.3

(19.7)

18 791.1

(12.5)

EUR

811.9

(19.2)

3 910.8

(21.5)

10 635.5

(13.0)

LAC

137.6

(15.4)

646.0

(18.6)

1 799.9

(10.8)

MEA

260.0

0.8

1 229.4

(2.2)

3 103.4

2.5

NAM

1 352.6

(17.8)

6 653.8

(18.6)

17 417.4

(14.8)

ACI

4 109.0

(16.0)

19 612.2

(18.8)

52 196.4

(12.6)

Traffic table definitions:

YOY Year over year same month comparison ;

YTD Year to date, starting January 2009, compared to same period previous year

YE Year end, based on rolling 12 month period, compared to same prior 12 month period

FREIGHT TRAFFIC: loaded and unloaded freight; data in metric tonnes

INTERNATIONAL: traffic performed between the designated airport and an airport in another country/territory

DOMESTIC: traffic performed between two airports located in the same country/territory

TOTAL: international + domestic freight (when breakdown is available)

Note : No domestic freight traffic is reported by airports in the Middle East region.

AFR – Africa

ASP – Asia Pacific (including India)

EUR – Europe

LAC – Latin America and Caribbean

MEA – Middle East

NAM – North America (USA and Canada)

Chart 4

Chart 5

Chart 6

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