Airline Industry - January Data: Asia/Pacific International Surge

Latest Passenger Forecasts - Fourth Quarter 2008

Europe Total Passengers: Almost 80% Declared and Still Rising
European passenger numbers are now positive for the third month in a row but the December to January movement is a slight one and certainly insufficient to recapture the ground lost in the last year.

At the global level January traffic, despite a healthy rise, is still some 4.5% points off the 2008 peak level and at current growth rates it will take another 12 months to repair all of the damage.

North American data for January is still scarce but it is positive. Latin American data is more plentiful but negative.

The rising star is still Asia/Pacific; growth is high and it is stable now with forecasts finally in step again with the actuals.

Internationals Roar in Asia/Pacific
The January increase in International passengers for Asia/Pacific is based on airports representing just 16% of the expected volumes for the month. It is a phenomenal 18% plus which is massively up on expectations. There are indeed special factors at work here but they do not detract from the trend.

European market conditions are more restrained but with almost half the results now known, the outcome for the month is fairly sure. Europe may still beat 2% in January.

Latin America is negative again and Africa is positive, quite strongly so.
There is no data on the system yet for the Middle East and next to none for the North American business. But with Dubai declaring a 17% increase this morning that will very quickly change.

Source: www.air4casts.com