DUBAI -Â Airlines in the Middle East saw passenger numbers jump 14 percent in October as the region’s aviation industry continues to outpace the rest of the world still suffering from the affects of the global recession, the latest industry figures showed.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said global passenger traffic improved half a percentage point in the month, compared to the same period last year.
World airline traffic has been in the doldrums in the last two years, first taking a hit from high oil prices and then the global financial crisis.
“The crisis has cost the industry two years of growth. Adjusting costs and capacity to meet that reality will be challenging,” IATA Director-General and CEO Giovanni Bisignani said in a statement on Monday.
The Middle East aviation industry has been the one bright spot in the gloomy world picture, witnessing double-digit growth in passenger traffic for much of the year as regional carriers aggressively expand fleets and routes.
“Middle Eastern carriers saw demand grow 14.3 percent, the highest among the regions. The region’s carriers continue to add capacity, increasing 15.3 percent in October and outpacing the growth in demand,” IATA said.
The October passenger increase is a decline from 18.2 growth in September, but up still significantly higher than the 11 percent growth witnessed in August.
Middle East cargo volumes saw an increase of 18.4 percent in October, compared with a 3.6 percent growth in September.
Globally, cargo volumes increased 0.5 percent in the month, compared to the 5.4 percent decline recorded in September.
Source: business.maktoob.com
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