ACI EUROPE: Regional airports enjoying 'dynamic' growth, and catching up with larger peers
ACI EUROPE reported (12-May-2016) European regional airports are, "currently enjoying dynamic growth in passenger traffic", with 1Q2016 traffic up 8.9% for airports with less than five million passengers p/a and up 7.6% for non-capital airports of the same size. According to the airports group, this means that regional airports, "are performing in line with the industry average (+7.8%) - a welcome development following years of slower traffic recovery in the wake of the global financial crisis." ACI EUROPE DG Olivier Jankovec commented: "Since last year, regional airports have finally been catching up with their larger peers and are now seeing more dynamic passenger growth. Alongside generally improved macro-economic conditions in Europe, a big chunk of those gains is down to efforts by airports to remain competitive and secure air services beyond the usual peak seasons." ACI Europe also reported demand has shifted from traditional North African destinations to European ones, "in response to security concerns". [more - original PR]