Auckland airport busier in July

Auckland airport busier in July

Auckland International Airport (AIA) says international passenger traffic excluding transits was up 4.9% in July compared with a year earlier while numbers of domestic passengers grew 5%.

“While some markets are starting to show consistent growth, the North American and European markets remain fragile,” AIA says.

Travel by Australian residents through the airport was down 2.5% on July 2009 but the market continues to show 12-month rolling growth with passenger volumes from Queensland up 2.5%, benefiting from additional seat capacity to Cairns and the Gold Coast, it says.

AIA bought a 24.6% stake in North Queensland Airports, which owns the Cairns and Mackay airports, in January.

The airport says traffic from New South Wales was up 8% in July despite a 2.5% reduction in seat capacity. Passengers on Japanese routes accounted for 2.5% of total passengers in July compared with 1.5% in July last year.

Korean arrivals grew 13.6%, it says.

Total international aircraft movements were up 1.7% in July from July last year.The biggest increase in international travellers to New Zealand was among those visiting for business reasons or for conferences while those taking holidays here were up 9.8% in July compared with last July.

Those travelling here for educational or medical reasons rose 4.4% while those visiting friends and relatives were down 3.2%.

Domestically, both Air New Zealand and the Qantas-owned budget airline Jetstar passenger traffic rose, it says. Earlier this month, the smallest domestic competitor Pacific Blue, part of the Virgin Blue Group of airlines, announced it is pulling out of domestic services from October to concentrate on the trans-Tasman route.Domestic aircraft movements through AIA were up 0.8% in July from July last year.

AIA shares last traded at $1.26, unchanged from yesterday.

(BusinessDesk) 13:30:40

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