INTERNATIONAL. International passenger traffic plunged by -11.3% at the world’s airports in February, compared to the same month last year, Airports Council International (ACI) has reported. Total passenger numbers are down by -10.3% year-on-year, with domestic traffic worldwide slipping by -9.4%. [Please note that a version of the chart below produced in last night’s edition of The Moodie Report 7 Days incorrectly compared the 2009 figures with 2007 – it should have said 2008 – Ed].
ACI said: “The setbacks are substantial throughout all regions, with the exception of international passenger traffic in the Middle East and domestic traffic in Asia Pacific (+1%).
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The decline in international passenger numbers outpaced the fall in overall traffic in February |
It added: “Several factors should be taken into account in analysing February results. Firstly, 2008 was a leap year and the 29th additionally fell on a Friday, which is a busy travel day. This phenomenon may contribute as much as a 4% variation. Month on month comparisons for China were affected by two additional factors: Chinese New Year fell in January this year, whereas it was in February last year, and a major snowstorm snarled traffic early in February 2008.”
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The graph illustrates the downward spiral of passenger traffic month by month |
ACI Director Andreas Schimm said: “Removing the extraordinary factors, the downward trend has not been further aggravated in February and there is hope that these figures might be the worst we will see this year. March traffic will lose the effect of Easter traffic, with Easter coming in April this year as opposed to March in 2008, yet there are indications that adjusted March traffic declines could be milder and that the first quarter of 2009 may be close to the bottom of the trough.”
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The only growth areas were Middle East international and Asia Pacific domestic travel |
MORE STORIES ON INTERNATIONAL PASSENGER TRAFFIC
International passenger traffic plunges -6.7% year-on-year in January, reports ACI – 04/03/09
ACI forecasts -4% passenger downturn in 2009, ‘spotty growth’ in 2010, rebound in 2011 – 12/02/09
ACI: Global passenger traffic is flat in 2008 after “turbulent and sobering year” – 30/01/09
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