Impressive Airline Passenger Traffic Growth in Chiang Mai and Phuket

According to the latest ACI Passenger and Freight Flash Reports, steady passenger traffic growth continued in the Asia Pacific region for the month of May 2013.

A year-on-year increase of +5.7% and +12.3% were recorded at airports in Asia Pacific and the Middle East respectively compared to May 2012.

Phuket (HKT) and Chiang Mai (CNX), both airports in Thailand, recorded the highest year-on-year percentage increase of 28% in the month of May 2013. Kuala Lumpur (KUL) follows with +22%.

The top 5 busiest airport in the region in May 2013 were Beijing (PEK), Tokyo Haneda (HND), Dubai (DXB), Jakarta (CGK) and Hong Kong (HKG).

The year-to-date increase was similar to last month. Increase of +5.2% and +11.5% was recorded in Asia Pacific and the Middle East respectively comparing to same period, January to May last year.

Air cargo traffic registered a slight decrease of -1.0% in May 2013 at Asia Pacific airports, while Middle Eastern airports continued to grow steadily at +7.7% comparing to May 2012.

The top 5 airports with the highest cargo throughput in May 2013 were Hong Kong (HKG), Shanghai Pudong (PVG), Dubai (DXB), Seoul Incheon (ICN) and Beijing (PEK).

Jakarta (CGK) was the airport with the highest percentage increase in cargo volume, recording +18.3% in May 2013, followed closely by Abu Dhabi (ABU) at +17.1%.

The first five months of 2013 saw a small decline of -0.9% in cargo traffic for airports in Asia Pacific and a strong +8.8% increase for airports in the Middle East.