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AVIATION
International flights still show some gains
BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA
Passenger and aircraft traffic through Thailand's six main airports continued to fall in July reflecting weakened travel demand eroded by high oil prices and the economic slowdown.
July's passenger traffic through Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Hat Yai airports contracted 1.34% year-on-year to 4.62 million, while aircraft movements fell 8.69% to 30,021, according to figures from Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT).
The fall was largely due to the 5.76% drop in domestic passenger numbers to 1.64 million and a 20% contraction in flight movements to 12,067.
But international passenger traffic continued to grow, albeit marginally, at 1.27% to 2.98 million with 0.85% growth in international aircraft throughput to 17,954.
Passenger traffic through Suvarnabhumi last month also continued to slow, rising 3.53% to 3.39 million while aircraft movements were almost flat at a mere 0.43% increase to 20,831.
Domestic passenger traffic through Bangkok's new airport in July alone rose 16.97% to 606,557 in spite of a 0.28% contraction in domestic flight movements to 4,697.
Suvarnabhumi's international passenger traffic inched up 1% to 2.78 million, with 0.64% growth in international aircraft movements to 16,134.
Cumulative traffic numbers in the first seven months of the year showed year-on-year growth, with passengers rising 7.61% to 34.97 million and flight movements up 2% to 234,371.
Domestic and international passenger traffic showed the same pace _ expanding 7.46% in domestic to 12.87 million and 7.69% in international to 22.10 million.
There was an obvious slowdown in domestic traffic in the period, rising 0.31% to 104,022 while the international numbers grew 3.4% to 130,349.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported that global total international passengers, as measured on an origin and destination basis, slowed in June to 3% growth compared to 4.5% in the first five months of this year and 5.1% in 2007 _ the first sign of a significant slowdown in air travel.
It was clear that travel markets were not being driven purely by US economic weakness and high fuel prices were starting to take a toll, said the Geneva-based body that represents 240 airlines.
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