The Hindu Business Line : Global airline traffic up 5% in 2006: ICAO

Growth 2006
Air passengers: 2.1 b (up 4%).
Passenger-kilometres: Up by about 5% in total services.
Freight traffic: 3% growth over 2005.

Kolkata June 11 Global scheduled airline traffic has registered a rise of five per cent in 2006 over 2005 in terms of the total tonne-kilometres performed by the world's scheduled airlines. The total number of air passengers in 2006 stood at 2.1 billion, a growth of four per cent compared with 2005, according to data published in ICAO Journal.

A tonne-kilometre performed is a combined measure of passenger, freight and mail traffic that takes into account the distance flown.

According to statistics supplied by the 189 contracting states of International Civil Aviation Organization, passenger-kilometres performed went up by about five per cent in total services in 2006, and by about six per cent in international services alone.

North American carriers consolidated and strengthened their international operations while simultaneously tightening domestic capacity to achieve better fleet utilisation in response to competition from low-cost carriers.

According to ICAO Journal, changes in capacity globally were in line with traffic growth, particularly on domestic routes. Domestic routes in the Asia-Pacific region, however, showed strong growth in both capacity and traffic. Total seat-kilometres offered went up by about three per cent — international capacity by about five per cent and domestic capacity by one per cent.

Passenger kilometres

Worldwide passenger-kilometres performed increased more rapidly than capacity. The average passenger load factor on total and international services edged up to 76 per cent in 2006, from 75 per cent in 2006. A similar load factor of 76 per cent was recorded on domestic services, from a shade under 75 per cent in 2005.

Total scheduled freight traffic in 2006 recorded a growth of three per cent over 2005. Domestic freight traffic grew more rapidly than international traffic. In absolute terms, freight tonnes carried worldwide on scheduled services went up to 39 million tonnes in 2006, from 38 million tonnes in 2005.

On a regional basis, strong traffic growth in terms of total tonne-kilometres performed was experienced by airlines in the Middle East, followed by those in the Asia-Pacific region and Africa.

Growth for airlines in North America, Europe and Latin America was below the world average, mainly on account of a more measured deployment of capacity, route rationalisation and changes in the route-mix introduced by North American and European carriers.

More Stories on : Airlines | Marketing Research

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Global airline traffic up 5% in 2006: ICAO

Changi, Tatas jointly bid for three airports in Karnataka

Govt to sign pacts with global flight training institutes

Cabinet nod for Chennai greenfield airport sought

Panel favours dedicated box terminal at Diamond Harbour

Kochi port SEZ: NTPC arm to take up feasibility study on power supply

Chennai port plans ro-ro car terminal

Railways plans to raise freight charges

Air Deccan expects to break even before 2008-end