ACI: Airport capacity issues remain of paramount importance

ACI World DG Angela Gittens commented (04-Apr-2016) that in "certain markets" the airport group sees both airlines and airport operators "expanding and optimising their capacity in order to accommodate the growing demand for air transport". According to ACI even in the most mature markets such as the US and parts of Western Europe, several of the major hubs experienced 2015 passenger traffic growth rates that were well above the historical growth levels for these regions. ACI continues to observe double-digit growth rates at major Middle Eastern and Asian hubs serving long-haul routes in emerging markets. The body added that with the continued rise in per-capita income and liberalisation of air transport across these markets, "the propensity to travel by air will rise accordingly". However, "airport capacity considerations on the supply side within major city markets will remain paramount to the issue of accommodating the surge in demand for air travel." [more - original PR]