Asia-Pacific leads April flight rise

(Amyunimus)

The number of flights taking to the skies rose again in April 2011, according to figures from aviation analyst OAG.

Three percent more flights will take off this month than in April 2010, OAG noted in its monthly OAG Facts report, taking the total to 2.52 million, with 317 million individual seats on board.

The number of flights to and from Asia-Pacific soared by 12 percent, with the number of flights taking off within the region also rising, by over 40,000 year-on-year or approximately seven percent.

The number of flights to and from the Middle East showed the second largest percentage growth - ten percent - with some 53,944 flights available for passengers heading to the region this month.

Europe put in a positive performance, with eight percent more flights to and from the region, as did Africa, with three percent more flights to the continent.

North America saw a rise in the number of flights available of three percent (a total of 88,071 flights), but Central and South America posted the weakest figures - flights were down 0.2 percent on April 2010 (94 fewer flights), most likely related to the bankruptcy of Mexicana last year.

OAG's figures did suggest, however, that other carriers in the Central and South America region are picking up the slack, with the number of seats available on aircraft actually increasing marginally on last year's figures.

http://www.oag.com