News

Air traffic back to normal

AVIATION
BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA

The number of passengers passing through Thailand's six main airports last month including Suvarnabhumi rose by 5.57%, reflecting a return to normal growth following the slump amid the political turmoil from March to May.

September's aircraft movements climbed by 6.44% year-on-year, while cargo traffic increased more dramatically at 18.9%, figures compiled by Airports of Thailand (AoT) show.

Combined passenger traffic last month reached 4.33 million, up from 4.1 million in September 2009.

International passenger traffic grew by 12.6% to 2.78 million, partly mirroring the revived confidence in the country despite it being the low travel season,said one industry analyst.

In sharp contrast, domestic passenger throughput shrank by 4.99% to 1.55 million as the effect of low-season was clearly felt.

The upswing in international traffic last month was also shown in the 11.2%jump in international flight frequencies through AoT-operated airports to 17,721.

Domestic aircraft movements were nearly stagnant, inching up by only 0.58%to 13,116.

Thanks to the continued economic revival, combined cargo traffic last month totalled 120,286 tonnes -111,101 tonnes for international cargo (up 18.8%) and 9,185 tonnes for domestic (up 20.5%).

For the first nine months of the year,total passenger throughput rose by 9.03 million to 42.1 million, with international traffic edging up by 12.8% to 26.5 million,outstripping domestic throughput, which rose 3.2% to 15.7 million.

Flight movements from January to September grew by 8.78% to 288,545-161,647 international flights (up by 8.68%)and 126,898 domestic (up by 8.92%).

Freight movements in the period shot up by 30.8% to 1.04 million tonnes -964,446 tonnes for international shipment (up by 31.7%) and 79,822 tonnes for domestic (up by 20.7%).

The upward trend in traffic will likely continue for the rest of the year as the high travel season arrives and continued economic expansion drives air cargo shipments.

BANGKOK POST
28 October 2010