ACI Europe: Freight traffic returns to growth in Jan-2013, passenger traffic outlook still grim

ACI Europe reported (06-Mar-2013) overall passenger traffic at European airports fell 1.6% year-on-year in Jan-2013 with EU airports reporting a "harsher decrease", averaging -3.8%, while passenger traffic at non-EU airports reported an average +6.8% growth. Aircraft movements reported a decrease of -4.8%, of which -1% can be attributed to the impact of the severe winter weather which affected parts of Europe towards the end of the month. According to the industry association, the negative figures for passenger traffic and aircraft movements contrast with the first positive figure for freight in nearly two years. Freight traffic reported growth of 1.9%. However, this only reflects a partial recovery from the "extremely" low freight traffic registered in Jan-2012. Overall freight traffic remains well below 2011 levels. Commenting on the results, ACI Europe director general Olivier Jankovec said "even most of the usually resilient EU hubs lost traffic, while the recession at regional airports is getting nasty. On the face of it, this is looking like at another 2009-style dip." [more - original PR]

ACI Europe: "Apart from the continued dynamism of non-EU markets mainly led by Turkey and Russia, the relative improvement in freight traffic is a welcome signal. It is consistent with suggestions that GDP in the EU is now bottoming out, with external demand expected to lead a pick-up in economic activity in the months ahead. If domestic demand follows, we could then see passenger traffic improving towards the end of the year," Olivier Jankovec, director general. Source: Company statement, 06-Mar-2013.