Routes and Airports Channel

Airport traffic depressed in May but downturn may be flattening

By Perry Flint
ATW's Airports Today, July, 2009, p.1

World airport traffic remained "stubbornly low" in May, according to Airports Council International, but there are indications that the downturn may be bottoming out. Airports participating in the association's passenger and freight "flash reports" recorded an 8% decrease in passenger traffic compared to the same month in 2008, with international traffic down 9.3% and domestic down 6.8%. Through the first five months of the year, total traffic was off 7.5% compared to last year while the rolling 12-month decline was 5%.

Total freight handled by airports fell about 16%, with international freight off 18.5% and domestic down 10.4%. ACI cited "persistent economic uncertainty" and the impact of the H1N1 virus for the lower figures but said the downward slide in freight may be slowing. Year-to-date through May, freight traffic fell 18.8%. "Freight results point to a small but hopeful indication that the downward trend is slowly reversing its steep drop," DG Angela Gittens commented.

International passenger traffic, however, took "a direct hit" from the H1N1 virus, she said. Airports in Latin America/Caribbean experienced a 29.5% plunge in international passengers in May, by far the worst performance for any region.

Mexico was most affected, with combined results from the three major tourist destinations--Mexico City, Guadalajara and Cancun--showing a 52.5% drop in international traffic and a 30.5% fall in domestic traffic. Large US gateways to Mexico also suffered, with passenger traffic at Dallas/Fort Worth down 22% and Los Angeles down 21%.

The group said swine flu fears also "likely had a dampening effect" in the "particularly health-sensitive" Asia Pacific region, where international passenger traffic fell 11.6% year-over-year. Hong Kong passenger throughput was down 12% and Bangkok was off 23%, for example.

ACI Director-Economics Andreas Schimm summed up: "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."

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