Passenger, freight traffic defy world tensions to post growth in August
AirCargo archive stories issue 233
Tuesday, 18 November 2014
HEIGHTENED tensions between Russia and Ukraine and escalating geopolitical threats in the Middle East did not have the expected impact on passenger and freight movements in August, with both sectors relatively resilient according to the latest Airports Council International (ACI) report.
Passenger traffic increased by 5.3 per cent, slightly above the 12-month growth trend of 4.7 per cent. International passenger traffic was up 6.7 per cent and domestic by four per cent compared to August 2013.
European airports showed strong growth in passenger traffic at 7.4 per cent. While this represented a recovery in air transport demand over the previous year for certain airports that were beleaguered by weakened economies in the Euro area in 2013, Turkish and Russian airports remain some of the major contributors to overall growth for the region. In particular, the two Russian airports based in Moscow (DME and SVO), experienced double-digit growth of over 30 per cent in August.
Similarly, African airports experienced a strong recovery in passenger traffic. Despite the adverse effects of the ebola crisis on air transport in western parts of the African continent, Northern Africa rebounded after a bleak period in passenger numbers for 2012 and 2013. From the eve of the Egyptian army-led overthrow of president Morsi to its aftermath, the tourist economy was crippled as passenger traffic dropped significantly in 2013. Cairo (CAI) and Hurghada (HRG), two of Egypt’s major airports, saw passenger traffic jump back by 24 per cent and 76.7 per cent respectively for the month of August. Overall, African passenger traffic increased by 10.8 per cent.
The Middle East achieved growth of nine per cent for the month. Latin America-Caribbean, North America and Asia-Pacific had more moderate growth levels at 4.5 per cent, 3.9 per cent and 3.3 per cent respectively.
Air freight continued its recovery with growth levels above trend. The overall accumulated volumes for the past 12 months rose by 3.6 per cent while August freight volumes jumped by 5.8 per cent. Although weakness remains in domestic air freight markets, the trans-border shipment of air freight posted robust gains in August. International freight volumes jumped up by 7.5 per cent, coinciding with an expansion in international trade activity and increasing business confidence.
With Brazil slipping into a recession, Latin America-Caribbean experienced a decline in volumes by 1.7 per cent in August. All other regions achieved gains in freight volumes.
Dubai World Central (DWC) is now a major contributor to overall growth in freight volumes for the region. Although it has only recently commenced operations, in August alone air freight volumes at DWC quintupled to over 80,000 tonnes compared to the previous year. Month after month, with increased operations, DWC is becoming one of the busiest international freight airports in the world. Asia-Pacific also posted strong increases in volumes at 8.2 per cent in August. The world’s largest air freight hub, Hong Kong (HKG), increased volumes by 8.6 per cent for the month.
Europe and North America had more modest growth levels at 3.3 per cent and 2.1 per cent respectively. Africa only inched up slightly in overall freight volumes with growth of 0.5 per cent year-over-year.
“Despite some of the downside risks that that have persisted in 2014, such as the heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine and the escalating geopolitical threats in the Middle East, passenger traffic has remained relatively resilient with above-average growth for August. The ebola outbreak, if not contained in the short run, may further depress traffic flows beyond the existing routes to and from the affected areas,” said Rafael Echevarne, ACI World’s economics director. “Similarly, air freight volumes also posted above average growth rates. Although growth in domestic freight volumes in Europe and North America showed weakness in August, international freight volumes showed robust growth in most regions, particularly at airports in the large exporting nations of the Asia-Pacific.”
Passenger, freight traffic defy world tensions to post growth in August
AirCargo archive stories issue 233
Tuesday, 18 November 2014
HEIGHTENED tensions between Russia and Ukraine and escalating geopolitical threats in the Middle East did not have the expected impact on passenger and freight movements in August, with both sectors relatively resilient according to the latest Airports Council International (ACI) report.
Passenger traffic increased by 5.3 per cent, slightly above the 12-month growth trend of 4.7 per cent. International passenger traffic was up 6.7 per cent and domestic by four per cent compared to August 2013.
European airports showed strong growth in passenger traffic at 7.4 per cent. While this represented a recovery in air transport demand over the previous year for certain airports that were beleaguered by weakened economies in the Euro area in 2013, Turkish and Russian airports remain some of the major contributors to overall growth for the region. In particular, the two Russian airports based in Moscow (DME and SVO), experienced double-digit growth of over 30 per cent in August.
Similarly, African airports experienced a strong recovery in passenger traffic. Despite the adverse effects of the ebola crisis on air transport in western parts of the African continent, Northern Africa rebounded after a bleak period in passenger numbers for 2012 and 2013. From the eve of the Egyptian army-led overthrow of president Morsi to its aftermath, the tourist economy was crippled as passenger traffic dropped significantly in 2013. Cairo (CAI) and Hurghada (HRG), two of Egypt’s major airports, saw passenger traffic jump back by 24 per cent and 76.7 per cent respectively for the month of August. Overall, African passenger traffic increased by 10.8 per cent.
The Middle East achieved growth of nine per cent for the month. Latin America-Caribbean, North America and Asia-Pacific had more moderate growth levels at 4.5 per cent, 3.9 per cent and 3.3 per cent respectively.
Air freight continued its recovery with growth levels above trend. The overall accumulated volumes for the past 12 months rose by 3.6 per cent while August freight volumes jumped by 5.8 per cent. Although weakness remains in domestic air freight markets, the trans-border shipment of air freight posted robust gains in August. International freight volumes jumped up by 7.5 per cent, coinciding with an expansion in international trade activity and increasing business confidence.
With Brazil slipping into a recession, Latin America-Caribbean experienced a decline in volumes by 1.7 per cent in August. All other regions achieved gains in freight volumes.
Dubai World Central (DWC) is now a major contributor to overall growth in freight volumes for the region. Although it has only recently commenced operations, in August alone air freight volumes at DWC quintupled to over 80,000 tonnes compared to the previous year. Month after month, with increased operations, DWC is becoming one of the busiest international freight airports in the world. Asia-Pacific also posted strong increases in volumes at 8.2 per cent in August. The world’s largest air freight hub, Hong Kong (HKG), increased volumes by 8.6 per cent for the month.
Europe and North America had more modest growth levels at 3.3 per cent and 2.1 per cent respectively. Africa only inched up slightly in overall freight volumes with growth of 0.5 per cent year-over-year.
“Despite some of the downside risks that that have persisted in 2014, such as the heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine and the escalating geopolitical threats in the Middle East, passenger traffic has remained relatively resilient with above-average growth for August. The ebola outbreak, if not contained in the short run, may further depress traffic flows beyond the existing routes to and from the affected areas,” said Rafael Echevarne, ACI World’s economics director. “Similarly, air freight volumes also posted above average growth rates. Although growth in domestic freight volumes in Europe and North America showed weakness in August, international freight volumes showed robust growth in most regions, particularly at airports in the large exporting nations of the Asia-Pacific.”
