Airport Passenger Traffic in North America Grows 0.8 Percent in
2006
More than 1.53 billion passengers
(defined as the aggregate total of arriving --deplanement-- and
departing --enplanement-- passengers. Transfer passengers are only
counted once) traveled through North American airports in 2006, an
increase of 0.8 percent, according to the Airports Council
International-North America (ACI-NA).
Cargo also increased slightly by 0.6 percent while total
operations declined by 2.3 percent.
“This increase in passengers reflects a trend that will
certainly carry on in the future,” said ACI-NA President Greg
Principato.
“The newest data
indicates what we have known for awhile: that increasing investment
in airport infrastructure is vital to adding necessary capacity and
upgrading facilities.”
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport retained the
number one worldwide ranking for passenger traffic, counting 84.8
million passengers in 2006, a 1.2 percent decrease over 2005.
Atlanta was followed by Chicago O'Hare International Airport (77.0
million) and Los Angeles International Airport (61.0 million).
Memphis International Airport remained the busiest cargo airport
in the world, handling nearly 3.7 million metric tons - an increase
of 2.6 percent over its final 2005 numbers.
Atlanta remained as the airport with the greatest number of
total operations worldwide with a yearly total of 976,447
movements, a decrease of 0.4 percent from 2005. Chicago posted a
1.4 percent decrease in operation at 958,643 movements. Dallas/Ft.
Worth International Airport ranked third with 699,773 operations, a
decrease of 1.7 percent.
Canada's busiest airport is Toronto's Lester B. Pearson
International Airport, ranking 17th in North America for passengers
(30.97 million), 15th in total cargo (505,000 metric tons) and 15th
in total movements (417,921).
The ACI-NA 2006 Traffic Report contains passenger, freight/mail
and aircraft operations data for 179 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.