Air trends: Asia-Pacific leads flight growth

(AFP PHOTO/ MANAN VATSYAYANA)

The number of flights taking off from the world's airports is to increase again in December, according to the latest monthly report from aviation analyst OAG.

In total, there will be five percent more flights this month than in December 2009 (114,945 extra flights) taking the total for the month to 2.5 million aircraft movements.

Asia-Pacific showed the strongest growth with 13 percent - or 7,044 - more flights than December last year and a surge in available seats to Beijing (15 percent more) and Shanghai (14 percent more).

Continuing the trend of recent years, the growth in flight and capacity to the Middle East was also strong, with 12 percent more flights to and from the region and 13 percent more capacity - there will be 11.7 million seats available on flights in and out of the region this month.

Flights to and from Europe were up by 11 percent, with most European hubs seeing an uptick in passenger capacity - Berlin Tegal and Copenhagen were up 13 percent, Barcelona by 11 percent and Amsterdam by ten percent.

Africa also saw an increase in flights of 11 percent, but growth to and from North America was more sluggish at only three percent.

Central and South America, a region still feeling the effects of Mexicana's bankruptcy, saw 2 percent fewer flights than in December last year, although the number is expected to begin rising again during 2011.

OAG also identified particularly strong growth at Delhi International (DEL), which saw a 20 percent increase in flights, attributed to the opening of its Terminal 3 facility and the efforts of Air India and other national carriers to develop a hub operation at the airport.

http://www.oag.com