First traffic slump since 2003 – ACI

World air traffic fell for the first time since 2003 with both international and domestic flights down, according to the latest ACI figures.

The association said world traffic growth for September 2007 compared with September 2008 fell by 4% with the Middle East being the only region recording an overall increase for the month at 2.4%.

"As the financial crisis unfolds and strikes economies around the world, airports are taking a strong hit. Overall, traffic in the first three quarters increased by just over 1%, and hopes for a quick recovery are fading. In the current economic environment, the last quarter of 2008 is rather unlikely to produce a positive result and we expect that worldwide traffic growth will remain flat for the year," says ACI economics director, Andreas Schimm.

Source: Routes News