Half year volume growth at European airports

August 7, 2015

Airfreight traffic across European airports grew by 0.5 per cent year on year (YOY) in the first half of 2015, according to the Airports Council International (ACI) Europe.

Europe’s two busiest airports, by cargo volumes, posted tonnage falls. Frankfurt Airport saw a 2.3 per cent YOY fall to 981,655 tonnes and Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Airport, a drop of 4.7 per cent YOY to 895,363.

Volumes at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol fell by 2.1 per cent YOY to 784,567 tonnes, but Heathrow Airport saw tonnage rise in the period by 2.1 per cent YOY to 741,846.
Airports seeing significant increases in cargo in the first half of the year were Munich Airport by 11.6 per cent YOY to 156,418 tonnes, Brussels Airport by 10.2 per cent YOY to 231,810, Milan Malpensa Airport by 6.6 per cent YOY to 245,951 and Liege Airport by 13.1 per cent YOY to 318,703.

European airports seeing a fall in the first half of 2015 included Gatwick Airport, which saw a 14.7 per cent YOY decline to 36,497, Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport by 11.5 per cent YOY to 70,510 and Helsinki Airport by 21.8 per cent YOY to 68,417 tonnes.

ACI Europe director general, Olivier Jankovec, says the figures in the first half of 2015 have been affected by geopolitical instability, and the weak economy in Russia. As for the future outlook for freight, Jankovec explains: “The situation in Russia, as well as slower growth in emerging markets, is likely to keep constraining traffic performance.” ACI Europe says in June, cargo volumes rose by three per cent, but the four busiest by volumes all saw a YOY monthly fall. Frankfurt was down 2.6 per cent to 164,780 tonnes, CDG by 1.2 per cent to 154,520, Schiphol 1.6 per cent to 132,218 and Heathrow by 1.9 per cent to 122,964.

June’s performance continues the unstable year for cargo across Europe. In May, airports saw a 0.4 per cent YOY fall. In April, there was YOY growth of 0.8 per cent, but in March, volumes fell YOY by 1.8 per cent. In February there was YOY growth of 2.9 per cent, but in January there was 0.5 per cent fall.

ACI Europe says year to date cargo volumes on the continent are up by 1.1 per cent on 2014, up 5.3 per cent, compared to 2013 and 5.9 per cent on 2012. The airport trade body published the figures in its traffic report for the first six months of this year and for the month of June.