In this column, we bring you regular passenger traffic news bulletins from airports around the world, as the travel industry’s recovery continues apace. Check back on this page for all the latest updates.
15 November
SPAIN. Airports in Aena’s Spanish network closed October 2022 with almost 24 million passengers, 97.1% of the traffic recorded in the same month of pre-pandemic 2019.
Of the total number of travellers recorded in October, 23,923,292 were commercial passengers, of which 16,229,021 travelled on international flights, -6.1% less than in October 2019.
Meanwhile, 7,694,271 passengers travelled on domestic flights, which is +4.5% more than before the pandemic.
In the first ten months of 2022, 87.2% of passenger traffic has been recovered compared to the same period of 2019.
Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport recorded the highest number of passengers among the Aena portfolio in October, with 4,808,601 (-12.4% compared to October 2019).
USA. Ontario International Airport welcomed more than 541,000 passengers in October, the highest total in a single month since its 2016 transfer to local ownership.
The Southern California gateway posted a +7.3% increase in total air travellers in the month compared with October 2019, the eighth consecutive month in which the number was higher than before the pandemic. It is also the sixth straight month above 500,000 passengers.
Year-on-year, the October passenger total grew by +9.5%, with increases in domestic and international passengers of +9.2% and +20%, respectively.
Through the first ten months of the year, the airport served 4.75 million passengers, +4% more than the same period in 2019 and +33.7% higher than last year.
Ontario International Airport Authority President Alan D. Wapner said: “Ontario is consistently exceeding pre-pandemic passenger volumes, which is a clear reflection of our airport’s robust recovery and the unyielding faith of air travellers in our ability to provide the hallmark hassle-free customer experience they expect.”
CHINA (HONG KONG). Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) has reported a surge in passenger numbers to 755,000 at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) for October 2022, representing a + 447.9% rise against the same period last year. Keeping things in perspective though, passenger volume in the month returned to just 13% of pre-pandemic levels.
AAHK noted that growth in passenger throughput was mainly driven by increases in both Hong Kong resident and visitor traffic due to the relaxation of local quarantine measures. Passenger traffic to and from Southeast Asia experienced the most significant increase.
In the first ten months of the year, HKIA handled 3 million passengers, an increase of +179% compared to the same period in 2021.
JORDAN. Airport International Group has revealed that during the first ten months of 2022, Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) received 6,557,424 passengers. This represents a +81.1% increase and -14.1% decline against 2021 and 2019 figures, respectively.
During October, 722,238 passengers were welcomed at QAIA, up +33.3% and down just 0.08% against 2021 and 2019 figures, respectively.
Airport International Group CEO Nicolas Claude said: “We remain committed to growing our airline and destination networks through strategic decisions, together with our various stakeholders, in order to maintain our standing, value and success as Jordan’s prime gateway to the world.”
He added: “We will continue to provide our passengers with a unique and welcoming travel experience that is on par with world-class standards.”
SWEDEN. The airports under Swedavia’s jurisdiction in Sweden served 2.7 million passengers in October. The figure represents +62% more than in October 2021 and 77% of the pre-pandemic volume recorded in 2019.
Some 1,963,000 passengers flew internationally while 768,000 passengers flew domestically. These numbers correspond to a year-on-year increase of +73% for international travel and +39% for domestic travel.
Compared to pre-pandemic levels, international travel in October was 83% and domestic travel 67% of the passenger volume recorded in 2019.
Stockholm Arlanda Airport, Sweden’s largest airport, had 1,824,000 passengers, 1,504,000 of which were international passengers and 320,000 of which were domestic passengers.
Overall, passengers at Arlanda increased +73 per cent compared to 2021, and was 19% below the 2019 level.
LATVIA. Riga Airport served 551,000 passengers in October, including 89.5% of the pre-pandemic 2019 figure for direct passengers in the same month. It was the fifth consecutive month that the total number of passengers passing through the airport exceeded half a million.
The airport noted that the impact of the war in Ukraine is still noticeable in transit passenger numbers, in common with other air hubs in the region. The total number of transit passengers was down by -60% in October as compared to 2019.
GERMANY. October was the busiest travel month of 2022 so far at Berlin Brandenberg Airport, with 2.1 million passengers served.
The number of passengers was therefore around two-thirds of the volume in October of the pre-pandemic year 2019, which saw 3.2 million guests served at the airport.
Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg Chief Executive Officer Aletta von Massenbach said: “The well-prepared and largely smooth start to the autumn holidays contributed to the good passenger numbers in October. Many people took advantage of the holidays to take off to somewhere sunny once again.”
He added: “We have further optimised the processes in both terminals to make travelling as easy as possible for our passengers. Our digital offers, such as the self-service check-in and reserving a time slot for the security control via BER Runway, were particularly popular and well received.”
Read October’s Passenger Traffic Monitor column here.
Read September’s Passenger Traffic Monitor column here.
Read August’s Passenger Traffic Monitor column here.
Read July’s Passenger Traffic Monitor column here.
