Europe’s airports recorded overall airfreight volume growth of 2.9 per cent in February, compared to the same month in 2014, according to the Airports Council International (ACI) Europe.
The European airport trade body revealed the figures on Wednesday 8 April in its monthly traffic report. ACI Europe, director general, Olivier Jankovec, says: “The outlook is now getting even brighter, as lower oil prices, the European Central Bank’s quantitative easing policy and improving consumer confidence should all help further support demand.”
The increase comes after volume across the airport network in January 2015 declined by 0.5 per cent, compared to January 2014.
The total February volume figure is also up 7.2 per cent on the performance in the same month in 2013 and 2.4 per cent up on the 2012 figure. Cargo aircraft movements were up by two per cent in February compared to the same month in 2014.
Year-to-date (YTD) volume figures for the first two months of the year are up 0.7 per cent on the same period in 2014, up six per cent on 2013 and up 4.3 per cent on 2012. In February, Europe’s four busiest cargo hubs by volume all saw increases compared to 2014, apart from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, which handled 141,000 tonnes, a drop of 2.2 per cent. Heathrow Airport handled 118,247 tonnes, up 7.7 per cent, volume at Frankfurt Airport was up one per cent to 153,846 tonnes, and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol handled 125,979 tonnes, up 2.1 per cent. Airports in Europe showing significantly strong volume gains were Munich Airport, up 12 per cent in February to 23,920 tonnes, Brussels Airport saw a rise of 12.4 per cent to 36,317 tonnes, Milan Malpensa Airport’s (see picture) volume climbed 12.3 per cent to 36,186 tonnes. Dublin Airport was up 22 per cent to 9,499 tonnes, and Liege Airport was up 10.8 per cent to 49,714 tonnes.
Russian airports saw the most notable declines in February and Sheremetyevo International Airport handled 9,491 tonnes, a decline of 12.5 per cent, Moscow Domodedovo Airport dropped by 18.6 per cent to 9,294 tonnes, and Pulkovo Airport in St Petersburg handled 1,508 tonnes, down 17.7 per cent.
