Airports in AP and ME Report Growth; Bangkok's Don Mueang Up 50.3%

According to ACI, airports in the Asia Pacific and the Middle East maintained steady growth in June 2015, reporting year-on-year gains at +4.9% and +6.1% respectively.

Despite slowdown in regional trade activities, international travel remained resilient. For the first half of 2015, both regions recorded cumulative passenger traffic increase of +8.3% and +8.8% respectively.

A number of major airports in the Asia Pacific generated year-on-year growth in excess of 15% in 1H 2015: Shanghai Pudong (PVG) +18.5%, Bangkok (BKK) +18.5%, Mumbai (BOM) +17.8%, and Kunming (KMG) +20.2%.

Bangkok Don Mueang (DMK) continued to generate the highest increase among major airports at +50.3%.

Air freight however, continued to be impacted by slowdown across Asian export markets.

In June 2015, Asia Pacific recorded a decrease of -0.2% and the Middle East maintained growth at +4.5% from the same period last year.

From January to June this year, Asia Pacific generated cumulative growth of +3% with New Delhi (DEL) achieving the highest growth rate at +12.2%. The Middle East grew at +8.6% year-to-date, and its largest freight hub Dubai (DXB) recorded increase of +2.8%.

Looking ahead towards the second half of 2015, passenger traffic is likely to maintain a solid track with support from leisure travels. However, the slowing down in trade activities continues to put pressures on both passenger and freight traffic in the coming months.