ACI’s monthly PaxFlash and Freight Flash reports show strong positive growth in both passenger numbers and freight tonnage in November. Angela Gittens, Director General ACI World, comments, “The steady improvement of traffic at airports indicates that losses for the year may be softer than originally expected. In the first quarter 2009 airports registered an alarming downward spiral yet since mid-year we have witnessed the return of demand - first for domestic and now for international travel. For sure, we are comparing November 2009 against November 2008, the month which had the biggest traffic losses in that year. Nonetheless positive passenger growth in all categories - overall global, international and domestic - indicates that the industry remains on track for a rebound.”
 
November is the first month since March 2008 during which all regions registered positive passenger traffic growth (see Tables 2 for regional splits). As December is expected to show further growth across all regions, the global year-end decline may possibly be less than 3 percent.
 
China, India, Brazil continue to lead domestic passenger traffic recovery, but Europe and North America also show moderate domestic growth for the first time in 2009. International traffic growth was dominated by Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions (Singapore +10%, Kuala Lumpur +21%, Bangkok +35%, Dubai +13%).
 
Freight traffic surged during the month, in part a results of the comparison with low results from 2008, but equally due to new growth and firming in several markets. Outstanding results from several key hubs (Anchorage +50%, Shanghai Pudong + 31%, Los Angeles +23%, Incheon +22%, Dubai +21%, Hong Kong +16%, Memphis +5%). International growth outpaced domestic for first time in over a year, and airports can expect the same trend in passenger traffic soon.
 
ACI World Economics Director Andreas Schimm adds, “The November results provide good reason to be optimistic about 2010. Freight results will continue to perform strongly as the world emerges from recession, and business and consumer confidence rises. Inventories are empty and rebounding demand will result in more orders and increased production of goods.”