ACI releases 2012 World Airport Traffic Report, 2013 outlook 'not encouraging'
ACI World launched (03-Sep-2013) its 2012 World Annual Traffic Report on 03-Sep-2013, providing coverage on more than 1500 airports across more than 150 countries worldwide. ACI World director general Angela Gittens said "passenger traffic around the world continued to grow in spite of a climate that is best described as global economic uncertainty," adding that while "risks of a disintegrated Euro area and the fiscal constraints faced by many developed economies represented a short run challenge for the industry, robust passenger traffic growth in emerging markets served to counterbalance the slowdown in advanced economies." Commenting on cargo traffic, Ms Gittens said "as a direct consequence of the slowdown in the growth of the volume of goods and services traded around the world, air cargo growth was relatively stagnant for a third year in a row." Ms Gittens added "while macroeconomic conditions were mainly responsible for air cargo's sluggish revival, microeconomic factors such as competitive pressures from alternative modes of freight delivery also played a role, particularly in a context of uncertain economic times." Looking ahead, ACI World director of economics and programme development Rafael Echevarne notes "overall, the traffic outlook for 2013 is not encouraging," with overall growth rate in passengers expected to be well below 5%. Mr Echevarne noted that although passenger traffic in 2013 is expected to grow, emerging markets in the BRIC countries are beginning to experience slowed growth. In the cargo market, Mr Echevarne said cargo traffic is expected to show a decline with respect to 2012 levels, mainly driven by low business and consumer confidence in the largest international economies. Details include:
- Passenger numbers: 5724 million, +4.4% year-on-year;
-
- Africa: 163.3 million, +6.1%;
- Asia Pacific: 1685 million, +8.0%;
- Europe: 1615 million, +1.7%;
- Latin America-Caribbean: 444.4 million, +7.6%;
- Middle East: 253.8 million, +13.0%;
- North America: 1562 million, +1.3%;
- Cargo volume: 92.5 million tonnes, +0.5%;
-
- Africa: 1.8 million, -0.2%;
- Asia Pacific: 33.8 million, +1.3%;
- Europe: 17.8 million, -2.4%;
- Latin America-Caribbean: 5.0 million, -0.1%;
- Middle East: 5.9 million, +4.3%;
- North America: 28.1 million;
- Aircraft movements: 79.0 million, +0.6%;
-
- Africa: 2.7 million, +0.8%;
- Asia Pacific: 15.4 million, +6.5%;
- Europe: 20.0 million, -2.5%;
- Latin America-Caribbean: 8.4 million, +3.5%;
- Middle East: 2.4 million, +6.3%;
- North America: 30.1 million, -1.4%.
The airport association also reported the following top airports in 2012:
- By passenger numbers:
-
- Atlanta: 95.5 million, +3.4%;
- Beijing: 81.9 million, +4.1%;
- London Heathrow: 70.0 million, +0.9%;
- Tokyo Haneda: 66.8 million, +6.7%;
- Chicago O'Hare: 66.6 million, -0.1%;
- By cargo volume: