ACI Media Press Release Archives (2005)

Data submitted to ACI by 829 airports show a global upswing for the year, with passenger traffic rising by 11 %, cargo by 9 % and aircraft movements by 3 %, as compared to 2003. The chart below indicates the monthly progression underlying the 2004 year-end results. (The sharp rise in April/May reflects the rebound from the same months in 2003, during the height of the SARS outbreak.)

Top ranking airports for passenger travel include Atlanta, Chicago, London Heathrow, Tokyo Haneda and Los Angeles. For cargo, Memphis, Hong Kong, Anchorage, Tokyo Narita and Los Angeles are the top five. For aircraft movements, the five leaders were Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas/FortWorth, Los Angeles and Phoenix. The full table is attached to this release.

Positive results in all regions
Four regions registered double digit passenger traffic increases: Asia/Pacific (+18 %), Middle East (+15 %), Africa (+13 %) and Latin America / Caribbean (+12 %). Significant traffic increases were also reported in Europe (+9 %) and North America (+8 %).

Cargo volume handled in 2004 rose in all areas: Asia/Pacific (+14 percent), Middle East (+13 %), Africa (+10 %), Europe (+8 %), Latin America/Caribbean (+7 %) and North America (+5 %).

In parallel, aircraft movements at airports increased by +12 % in Asia/Pacific, +5 % in both Africa and Middle East, +4 % in both Europe and Latin America/Caribbean and +1 % in North America.

2005 Results
Worldwide year-to-date results (Jan-Feb 2005 over Jan-Feb 2004) show both passenger and cargo continue to increase, respectively +5.8 % and + 2.5 %. Whereas Feb 2005 over Feb 2004 results show passenger growth of 4.2 %, with freight volume falling 3 %.

Aaronson comments, "The 2005 results so far indicate that passenger numbers continue to rise in line with the solid 2004 growth trend. February comparisons for freight, however, show a drop that is attributed in large part to the effects of the 2004 leap year and slowdown during 2005 Chinese New Year. ACI will monitor the freight volume closely because any sustained decline can be an early indicator of a slowdown in global economic activity."

2005 results are posted on the ACI website at www.aci.aero or can be requested by email. For further information please contact Nancy Gautier, Communications Manager, ACI World Headquarters at ngautier@aci.aero.