Worldwide air traffic up 5% in 2012, Asia largest and fastest-growing market: Amadeus
Amadeus released (16-Apr-2013) new analysis from Amadeus Air Traffic Travel Intelligence solution which showed worldwide air traffic rose 5% year-on-year in 2012 with Asia being the largest, fastest-growing and most competitive market for air travel. Asia is the market with the highest competition between airlines in the world, with 75% of air traffic volume served by more than three airlines and only 25% of air traffic served by one or two airlines. Analysis of the busiest routes in the world by passenger numbers shows that seven out of the top 10 world's busiest air routes are in Asia. Jeju-Seoul remained the world's busiest air route in 2012. The analysis also showed Middle East is a rapidly growing hub as shown by traffic volume between Europe and Asia routed via the Middle East, growing by approximately 20% year-on-year in 2012. Traffic details include:
- Passenger numbers: +5% year-on-year;
- Asia: 787 million, +9%;
- Europe: 680 million, +4%;
- North America: 597 million, +2%;
- Latin America: 189 million, +6%;
- Middle East: 99 million, +2%;
- South West Pacific: 82 million, +4%;
- Africa: 52 million, +2%.
- Top 10 routes by passenger numbers:
- Jeju-Seoul: 10.2 million, +2%;
- Sapporo-Tokyo: 8.2 million, +8%;
- Rio de Janeiro-Sao Paulo: 7.7 million, -1%;
- Beijing-Shanghai: 7.2 million, +7%;
- Melbourne-Sydney: 6.9 million, -2%;
- Osaka-Tokyo: 6.7 million, -11%;
- Fukuoka-Tokyo: 6.6 million, -3%;
- Hong Kong-Taipei: 5.5 million, +2%;
- Okinawa-Tokyo: 4.6 million, +12%;
- Cape Town-Johannesburg: 4.4 million, -1%;
- LCC share of traffic by region:
- Europe: 38%, +1.5 ppts;
- South West Pacific: 36.6%, +1.1 ppts;
- North America: 30.2%, +0.7 ppt;
- Latin America: 24.9%, -1.7 ppts;
- Asia: 18.6%, +2.1 ppts;
- Middle East: 13.5%, +1.8 ppts;
- Africa: 9.9%, +0.5 ppt. [more - original PR]