CAAC: 21 Chinese airports handled more than 10 million pax in 2012

CAAC reported (20-May-2013) passenger numbers at China's 183 airports increased 9.5% year-on-year to 680 million in 2012. Airports in China's eastern region handled 389 million passengers (57.2% share), followed by airports in the western region with 181 million (26.6%), central region with 67 million (9.9%) and northeast region with 43 million (6.3%). Chinese airports also handled 12.0 million tonnes of cargo, up 3.6%. Cargo traffic was also led by airports in the nation's eastern region with 9.3 million tonnes (77.2% share), followed by western region with 1.8 million tonnes (14.6%), central region with 539,400 tonnes (4.5%) and northeast region with 434,600 tonnes (3.6%). Aircraft movements increased 10.4% to 6.6 million. According to CAAC, there were 57 airports with annual passengers of more than one million, an increase of four additional airports, including 21 with more than 10 million annual passengers and 36 with between one million and 10 million. In terms of cargo, there were 49 airports with more than 10,000 tonnes of cargo, two more than in 2011, with airports in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou accounting for 53.5% of the nation's total cargo traffic. Airports in China's western region account for 49.7% of the total number of airports in China at 91, followed by eastern region with 47 airports for a 25.7% share, central region with 25 airports for a 13.7% share and northeast region with 20 airports for a 10.9% share. [more - original PR - Chinese]