Airport Traffic – Asia Pacific, Europe and North America got the hardest hit
| While passenger traffic growth hovered at -0.2 percent and cargo shrank by -3.6 percent, total aircraft movements dropped by -2.2 percent, led by the largest world market North America where movement reductions (-5.6 percent) were greater than the decline in passenger numbers (-3 percent). |  |
Director General of ACI Angela Gittens sums up the tempestuous year, “Dramatic swings in the business world, including an unprecedented financial and investment crisis and the onset of a spreading global recession, impacted consumers and businesses in all regions in 2008. Shrinking demand is directly hitting the carriers, who in turn are cutting routes and services offered at many airports. The end result is readily visible in the ACI preliminary figures provided by 900 airports worldwide.”
| PRELIMINARY (ESTIMATED) RESULTS 2008* | ||
|
Total Passengers: |
4.5 billion |
-0.2% |
* The figures in this summary table have been submitted by 900 airports, which together represent 93% of traffic worldwide. Confirmed traffic results for all reporting Members of ACI will be published in July 2009 (1200+ airport reports).
ACI Economics Director Andreas Schimm comments on the results: “This year provided a unique combination of two very different semesters. During the first half of the year, airports still recorded some robust growth, but by June, the curve had reversed and began what was to become a steady slide downward on the traffic growth chart.”
| "Once the economic cycle has run its course, we can anticipate a rapid upsurge in demand for aviation services" | ”Aviation business during the mid-year months was characterised by unprecedented oil prices, rising air fares and slowing demand in many regions. This impact was particularly visible in domestic traffic results where alternative means of transportation exist and bookings are made on shorter notice allowing greater flexibility in changing travel plans. International traffic proved more resilient and was less affected by the oil price and fares, and until mid year maintained reasonable growth relative to 2007. |
As of September 2008, however, growth contracted in all regions excepting the Middle East. The causes for the decline had shifted – no longer tied to oil but rather to a financial market crisis and its consequences for the overall global economy and industrial production. The decline of both the domestic and international traffic sectors converged in December. November was the month registering the sharpest overall drop at - 7.6 percent as compared to November 2007,” Shimmm said.
The regions hardest hit by the downturn were Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. Asia Pacific was hard hit by a reduction in international traffic whereas domestic traffic held up relatively well. The reverse was true in Europe and North America where international traffic remained relatively steady until the last quarter 2008 but suffered from lagging domestic performance at an early stage that pulled down overall results for the year.
The Middle East and Africa continued to experience growth in international traffic throughout the year, however, on much more moderate levels than the preceding years. Latin America, while performing well during the first three quarters, particularly in international traffic, succumbed to the slump in the fourth quarter with both domestic and international traffic in decline.
| Cargo’s downward slide was more acute. After a volatile first half of the year, due to the steadily rising cost of fuel, which made air cargo less and less price competitive, cargo volume dropped significantly over the summer. Due to a collapse of international trade and export, this trend reached free-fall proportions by the last quarter, with cargo down by 20 percent worldwide in December 2008 compared to December 2007, a decline led by the Asia Pacific region (-24 percent). A reversal to the trend is expected to be aligned with improvements in world business trends -- a resurgence of global economic health, industrial output and new market development. | "The impact was particularly visible in domestic traffic results where alternative means of transportation exist and bookings are made on shorter notice allowing greater flexibility in changing travel plans." |
Gittens concludes, “ACI traffic forecasts indicate that the downturn will continue to be played out during 2009, with an easing of the situation late 2009 and early 2010. Airports know from many years of experience that once the economic cycle has run its course, we can anticipate a rapid upsurge in demand for aviation services in several promising markets. That is why airports must maintain a long-term focus despite erratic times if they are to ensure adequate capacity and service excellence in the future. Our communities see us as part of their sustainable and secure future and airports, alongside our airline and air navigation service suppliers, must be equally committed to that vision.”
 |
Sign in with a social network:
