January traffic shows strong start for the year: Global passenger traffic up by 6%; global freight up 25% - 23/02/2010

GENEVA, 4 March 2010 – ACI PaxFlash and FreightFlash participants report a sustained growth pattern in January, following the positive results registered in December. Global airport passenger traffic rose by 6 percent in January 2010 compared to January 2009 and freight was up by a strong 25 percent  A 12-month rolling comparison shows that the passenger traffic decline has narrowed to a -1.7 percent gap and freight to -4.5 percent, (comparison Jan 2009 -Jan 2110 over Jan 2008- Jan 2009).
Global results
The overall global passenger increase stems from a mix of international and domestic market surges.  International passenger traffic grew steeply in Asia Pacific (+11%), Africa (+13%) and Middle East (+15%) whereas the domestic markets were led by Asia Pacific (+9 %), Europe (+6%) and Latin America (+11%).
 
Freight growth figures are even more impressive, with Asia Pacific and Middle East topping results respectively at +43 and +29 percent. Even keeping in mind that January 2009 showed the sharpest declines in freight traffic last year, January 2010 appears to be profiting from increasing stabilization of world production markets. Tonnage rose sharply at several key hubs: Abu Dhabi +26%, Bangkok +46%, Dubai +32%, Hong Kong +43%, Incheon +38%, Shanghai +82%, Sharjah +50%, Singapore +21%, Taipei +90%, Tel Aviv +18%, Tokyo Narita +45%.
 
Regional comments
Double-digit growth in Africa was reported by Abidjan, Cairo, Casablanca, Fez, Hurghada, Marrakech, Monastir, Oujda, Saint Denis and Sharm El Sheikh.
 
Strong gains were made at several major Asia Pacific hubs (Bangkok, Beijing, Guangzhou, Incheon, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Mumbai, Narita, New Delhi, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney) but also at middle tier airports, notably in India and China.
 
In Latin America, airports reported strong results – some international and some domestic – in Argentina (Buenos Aires +12%), Brazil (Brasilia +15%, Sao Paulo +22%), Ecuador (Guayaquil +10%, Quito +7%), and Peru (Lima +10%), whereas Mexico City and Cancun remained below 2009 levels.   
 
In Europe, international traffic rose by 3 percent and domestic by 6 percent, with mixed results for international traffic at the five largest competing hubs: Amsterdam +1%, Frankfurt +4%, London LHR +1%, Paris CDG +1 %, Madrid +9%. International traffic also rose in the second tier category: Brussels +2%, Copenhagen +4%, Istanbul +22%, Milan +9%, Munich +1%, Rome +15%, Vienna +4% and Zurich +6%. 
 
In the Middle East, international traffic was the driver for excellent results at almost all airports, including reports from Dubai where traffic rose by +17%, Abu Dhabi by +11% and Tel Aviv by +21%.
 
North America’s international traffic was flat at +0.2%. Domestic traffic rose by 1.6 percent, with strongest growth seen by Boston +13%, Baltimore +9.1%, Chicago Midway +15%, Los Angeles +9%, New York LGA +5% and San Francisco +8%. Please note that for technical reasons Atlanta Hartsfield (ATL) airport has submitted preliminary figures only, but they indicate a 5 percent drop at the world’s busiest hub.
See Tables 2 and 3 of the full release for complete regional traffic results.
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January traffic shows strong start for the year; Global passenger traffic up by 6%; global freight up by 25%.pdf Download (123 Ko)