Alexandre Rocha*
alexandre.rocha@anba.com.br
São Paulo – The Middle East was the region that registered the largest growth in aeroplane passenger throughput in 2007. According to preliminary information disclosed yesterday (30) by the Airports Council International (ACI), 75.14 million travellers walked the corridors of the airports in the region, an increase of 15.6% over 2006. The ACI brings together 580 airport administrators operating 1,647 airports in 175 countries and territories. The research, disclosed yesterday, covers around 60% of the global passenger flow, including arrivals and departures, and 70% of the cargo turnover.
Africa was in the second place, with growth of 14.3% in throughput, reaching 82.2 million people. According to the ACI, the performance of both regions – the only ones that presented double digit growth – was powered by the opening of new routes, the establishment of new services and by the existence of popular tourist destinations in both. An example is the creation of the direct flight between Dubai and São Paulo by Emirates airline, from the United Arab Emirates.
In both cases, the number of passengers on international flights was much larger than on domestic flights. International passenger throughput in the Middle East was 71.3 million people, 16.7% more than in 2006. In Africa, the total was 49.5 million, expansion of 13.3%. The African continent, however, also presented expressive passenger growth on local flights, 16.2% to almost 32 million people.
Latin America and the Caribbean were in the third place among the regions with greatest expansion in passenger flow. According to the ACI, 130.4 million passengers moved through the airports in the region in 2007, growth of 7.6% over the previous year.
The region presented the second greatest growth of domestic passenger throughput, losing only to Africa. A total of 82.3 million people walked the corridors in the airports, 8.2% more than in 2006. Latin America and the Caribbean were in the third position with regard to international passenger growth, having served 44.5 million people, expansion of 7.7%.
The region that posted the largest throughput, however, was North America, with 929 million passengers, growth of 2.8% in comparison with 2006. Then came Europe, with 917 million passengers, expansion of 6.1%; and Asia-Pacific, with 740.2 million passengers, 6.5% more than in 2006. Worldwide there was 5.6% growth in the number of passengers travelling.
According to the director general at ACI, Robert Aaronson, the passenger demand continues strong, despite the increase in fuel prices, the volatility of financial markets, especially after the real-estate bubble in the United States bust, and the consequent concern with the lower growth of the global economy. In this respect, he stated that the congestion and capacity of airports are still the main concerns for the sector.
Cargo
Africa and the Middle East were also ahead of the growth in aerial cargo transport. On the African continent almost 810,000 tonnes crossed airports, 9.7% more than in 2006. In the Middle East, the turnover was 3.3 million tonnes, growth of 9.3%.
Latin America and the Caribbean were also in the third place in this matter, with 2.25 million tonnes transported, growth of 6.1%. The largest volume of cargo, however, was transported in Asia-Pacific: 24.5 million tonnes, 3.2% more than in 2006. In second place came North America, with 19.2 million tonnes transported, growth of 0.7%; and Europe, with a throughput of 10.5 million tonnes, growth of 4.1%.
In all the airports that are ACI members around the world the cargo throughput rose 3% in 2007, below the 6% forecasted for the year. According to the organisation, in this case the performance reflected the increase in fuel prices, which caused companies to seek other transport alternatives.
*Translated by Mark Ament
