ACI Says Traffic Fell By 6% In January

Madhu Unnikrishnan madhu_unnikrishnan@aviationweek.com

Passenger traffic at airports dropped by 6% in January, compared with the same month in 2008, according to the latest Airports Council International (ACI) data.

For the 12 months ended in January, traffic fell by 1% and freight fell by 6%, ACI reports. "January traffic results come as no surprise as the business world struggles with instability in the financial and industrial sectors," said ACI Director Angela Gittens. "Airport activity is tied to the health of world, regional and local economies."

The Middle East is the only region of the world that reported traffic growth, with international passengers up by 2.2% in January. Europe and Africa fell by the most, by 10.9% and 9.5%, respectively. North American traffic fell by 8.6%, while Asia-Pacific dropped by 0.4%, mainly bolstered by the strong domestic Chinese traffic during the lunar new year holiday.

ACI reported that cargo traffic worldwide fell by an average of 27.6% as exports around the world collapsed. The freight hubs of Anchorage, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Incheon, Miami, Tokyo Narita, Shanghai and Singapore saw traffic fall by between 20% and 35%, ACI said.

"There is a significant downside risk for February 2009 figures, given the likelihood of a continuing deterioration in the global economic climate," said ACI Economics Director Andreas Schimm. "We must accept that this downturn will continue for a while longer and keep looking ahead to the inevitable upswing to ensure that airports remain a firm cornerstone for rebuilding economic health."

AviationWeek.com photo of Baltimore-Washington/Thurgood Marshall International Airport Tower: Benet Wilson