Passenger Traffic Grows 8 Percent; Cargo Grows by 5
Percent
The Airports Council
International-North America tells ANN that that more than 1.46
billion passengers traveled through airports in 2004. Both
passenger traffic and cargo grew by 8 percent and 5 percent
respectively, while total operations increased 1 percent. The Air
Transport Association (ATA) is expecting approximately 200 million
passenger enplanements to travel on our nation's airlines (400
million passengers through airports) between Memorial Day through
Labor Day, which is a 4.1 percent increase over the same period in
2004.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport retained the
number one worldwide ranking for passenger traffic, counting 83.6
million passengers in 2004, an increase of 5.7 percent over
2003.
Atlanta was followed by Chicago O'Hare International Airport
(75.5 million) and Los Angeles International Airport (60.6
million). Memphis International Airport remained the busiest cargo
airport in the world, handling over 3.6 million metric tones -- an
increase of 4.8 percent over its final 2003 numbers.
Chicago O'Hare remained in the highest position in total
operations worldwide with a yearly total of 992,427 movements.
Atlanta posted a 5.8 percent increase in operation at 964,858
movements. Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport ranked third with
804,865 operations with an increase of 5.2 percent. Toronto's
Lester B. Pearson International Airport was Canada's busiest
airport in two of the three categories, ranking 17th in North
America for passengers (28.6 million) and 19th in total movements
(403,778). The top-ranked Canadian cargo airport was Vancouver
International Airport, which ranked 29th in North America (234,015
metric tonnes).
"The aviation system now has to accommodate record numbers of
passenger demand and it is more important than ever that we have
funding to meet airport and system needs," said ACI-NA president
David Z. Plavin. "Unfortunately, the current FAA budget proposal
leaves a significant gap in the funding necessary for the entire
aviation industry infrastructure. Accordingly, ACI-NA and member
airports will work harder than ever this year to get a budget that
ensures critical safety and capacity projects are built and
passengers receive the level of service they deserve," he
added.
The ACI-NA Traffic Report contains passenger, freight/mail and
aircraft operations data for 187 North American airport members.
Total passengers represent the sum of passengers enplaned and
deplaned in all commercial services but not passengers who travel
in business or general aviation modes of transportation. Total
freight/mail figures represent the sum of the total freight and
mail, both loaded and unloaded, at the reporting airport. Total
aircraft operations reflect the sum total of all domestic
commercial, international commercial, commuter, general aviation
and military operations.