Passenger traffic in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East recorded growth in June at +2.1 per cent and +8.1 per cent respectively, new data showed.

According to a report by  Airports Council International Asia-Pacific, In China, the overall passenger growth during the month was negatively impacted by adverse weather conditions in southern and eastern China, which caused significant flight cancellations at many airports. The domestic sector showed signs of weakening, while international demands remained solid. The top three airports with the most passenger volume increase from last year were: Guangzhou (CAN) up 5.1 per cent, Shanghai Pudong (PVG) up 3.9 per cent and Shenzhen (SZX) up 5.9 per cent.

In India, passenger traffic demand showed resilience. Both the international and domestic segments recovered to positive growth in June as the market filled in the capacity gap created by Jet Airways’ service suspension. The three airports with the most passenger volume growth were: Hyderabad (HYD) up 9.8 per cent, Bangalore (BLR) up 4.4 per cent and Ahmedabad (AMD) up 10.4 per cent.

The Middle East recorded robust performance during the month of June, moving up 8.1 per cent. Many airports benefited from the shift in the timing of Ramadan and reported positive results. Airports with the highest volume increase from last year: Doha (DOH) up 19.2 per cent, Dubai (DXB) up 4.2 per cent and Sharjah (SHJ) up 17.5 per cent.

Overall year-to-date passenger traffic in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East grew +1.9 per cent and 2.5 per cent respectively. Major markets such as China, India and the UAE all experienced a slowdown in the first quarter and showed signs of improvement in the second quarter. Looking ahead, the macro-economic environment remains challenging particularly for Asia-Pacific with rising tensions between Japan and South Korea and the escalating trade disputes between China and the US.

Air freight markets continued to deteriorate, with Asia-Pacific and the Middle East declining at -6.5 per cent and -7.1 per cent respectively in June. Hangzhou (HGH) was the only airport that posted a positive growth rate among the top 20 air freight hubs, up 4.2 per cent. The growth was largely driven by the increased handling capacity and network expansion of express couriers. 

Overall, air freight slowed in the first half of 2019, with Asia-Pacific down 5.9 per cent and the Middle East at down 2.7 per cent. The escalating trade tensions between China and the US continued to put pressure on the exports and manufacturing activities in the region. - TradeArabia News Service