Global airline capacity for February 2010 shows positive growth compared to February 2009, reports OAG (www.oagaviation.com), the world’s leading aviation data business with its monthly report on trends in the supply of airline flights and seats.

This marks the sixth consecutive month in which overall airline capacity has shown growth, with 272.7 million available seats this month, an increase of 5% over February 2009. Global frequencies are also showing growth, with an increase of 4%, with a total of 2.2 million flights scheduled for February 2010. Global frequency and capacity in the low-cost sector are up by 11% compared to a year ago, with 40,704 more flights and 6.1 million more seats.

The only regional decline to report for February 2010 is for traffic within North America where frequency and capacity have reduced by 1% (11,210) and 2% (1,512,278) respectively. However, frequency and capacity to and from the region have shown a positive growth of 3% and 2%. Overall, flights to and from Europe show positive growth compared to February 2009, with 6% more flights and 4% more seats.

Figures for Asia show an increase both to and from the region and also within. For services to and from the region, there is an increase of 5% in flights and 4% in capacity, while intra-regionally, frequency and capacity is up by 11% and 10% respectively. Latin America, Central/South America, Africa and the Middle East also show increases in frequency and capacity.

“It is fascinating how much the movement in flight frequency and seat capacity seems to reflect the regional economic situation. Asia’s economy (except Japan) is gradually and carefully recovering and so are parts of Europe/the Middle East/Africa region, while North America and Japan appear to have difficulty and are struggling to come out of this recession,” said Mario M. Hardy, Vice President Asia Pacific, OAG Aviation.

Analysis of major routes reveals increases in many parts of the world, while decreases continue in the transatlantic market between North America and Western Europe. That route has 5% fewer seats (237,269) and 5% less flights (964) for the month. Carriers between Western Europe and Asia show a frequency decline of 2% and 4% reduction in capacity.

Routes between Western Europe and Africa show a healthy 20% increase in frequency and 19% increase in capacity. Service between North America and Central/South America are up compared to a year ago, while routes between Western Europe and the Middle East have also grown compared to February 2009.

“This month, a number of new routes are being launched; the Asia Pacific region shows 174 new routes with a large number of them from Chinese carriers. In Europe, the Middle East and Africa, there are 210 new routes dominated by low-cost carriers, said OAG’s Hardy. “North America adds 108 routes with the majority being domestic flights and in Latin America, 17 routes were added mostly in the Caribbean. The increase in direct service is a global trend that has been driven by the increase in low-cost carrier services flying point-to-point, which benefits the consumers,” continued Hardy.

A hubs analysis shows impressive growth in South America Sao Paulo (GRU) and Bogota (BOG) with frequency increases of 24% and 17% respectively. The Middle East continues to perform well with Abu Dhabi (AUH) revealing a 24% growth in frequency for February 2010.

Analysis of airports in North America shows that frequency at Atlanta Hartsfield remains unchanged at 70,651 compared to February 2009, while the major hub shows marginal growth of 1% in capacity, with 8,048,791 seats. European airports Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and London Heathrow (LHR) both show declines in operations and capacity.

The month-by-month trend since the start of the economic downturn can be seen in chart format below, or click here.

The world’s airlines have 272.7 million available seats this month, an increase of 5% over February 2009 levels.  Frequencies are also up compared to February 2009.   Globally, airlines have scheduled a total of 2.2 million flights for February 2010, an increase of 4% compared with the same month last year.

Figure 1:  Global Seat Capacity

Figure 2: Global Flight Frequency

Analysis by Region

The Middle East region continues to show a positive upward trend. Flights and capacity for travel to and from the region show a good increase of 11% each, with a frequency of 43,374 and seat capacity of 9.4 million for February 2010. The number of flights and seats offered within the region are also scheduled to rise by an impressive 19% and 21% respectively, with 39,940 flights on offer and 6.1 million seats.

Africa continues to experience a strong growth with traffic to and from the region reflecting an increase of 19% in both frequency and capacity; there will be 5,160 more flights and 1 million more seats on offer in February 2010 compared to February 2009.  Air service in the region is showing an upturn year on year with a 3% rise in the volume of flights and 5% more seat capacity.

Latin America continues to expand its air services within the region, with 185,970 flights scheduled for February 2010; this reflects an increase of 12% (19,891 more flights).  Capacity also shows a positive growth of 15% with 2,563,551 seats on offer. 

Operations to and from Central and South America reflect an increase of 6% in frequency and 5% in capacity year on year.

Figure 3: Seat Capacity within Asia Pacific

Flights to and from Europe show a positive growth compared to February 2009, with 6% more flights and 4% more seats. Flight schedules within the region have increased by just 4 flights to 484,146 with a marginal increase of 2% (1,145,693) in the number of seats offered compared to February 2009.

The only regional decline to report for February 2010 is for traffic within North America where frequency and capacity have reduced by 1% (11,210) and 2% (1,512,278) respectively. However, frequency and capacity to and from the region have followed the trend from last month and show a positive growth of 3% and 2%.  The total number of flights that will operate to/from North America is 78,059 and the total seat offering is 15,036,099.

Figure 4: Flight Frequencies within North America

Hubs 
Analysis of major hub activity for January 2010 reveals an impressive growth in South America.  Sao Paulo (GRU) and Bogota (BOG) show frequency increases of 24% and 17% respectively.  Capacity has also increased at both airports by 28% and 18%.

The Middle East is also performing well.   Abu Dhabi (AUH) reveals a healthy 24% growth in the number of operations, with a frequency of 6,408 for the month of February 2010.  Capacity has also seen an increase of 21%, with a total seat offering of 1,199,142.

In Africa, Cairo (CAI) shows an increase in both frequency and capacity (11% and 8%). 

Johannesburg (JNB) however remains unchanged in the number of frequencies compared to February last year, but shows a marginal growth of 2% in capacity.

Asia shows mixed results with both Bangkok and Singapore reflecting an 11% growth in frequency; capacity at both airports also show a healthy growth of 12% (4,729,673) and 7% (4,281,173) respectively.  Tokyo Haneda (HND) however shows a decline in both frequency and capacity of 3% and 4% year on year.

Analysis of airports in North America shows that frequency at Atlanta Hartsfield remains unchanged at 70,651 compared to February 2009; this major hub shows a marginal growth of 1% in capacity, with 8,048,791seats on offer.  In the same region, Chicago O’Hare (ORD) shows a minimal increase of 1% in the number of operations and a decrease of 3% in the number of seats on offer.European airports, Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and London Heathrow (LHR) both show declines in operations and capacity.  LHR reflects marginal decreases of 1% and 2% however CDG shows a 7% reduction in frequency and 5% reduction in capacity.

Figure 5: Major Hub Frequency & Capacity Shifts 

Low Cost Carriers
When looking at the global figure of all scheduled passenger flight operations below, the low cost sector accounts for 410,833 (19%), with 60.7 million seats (22%).  Worldwide frequency and capacity in the Low Cost sector are up by 11% each compared to a year ago with 40,704 more flights and 6.1m seats. 

Figure 6 : Global Low Cost Carrier Seat Capacity

Major Routes
The route between Western Europe and Africa shows a healthy increase of 20% in frequency and 19% in capacity with 3769 more flights and 646,734 more seats on offer.

Frequency and capacity between Western Europe and the Middle East has also grown and reflects an increase, of 9% each, with 1,057 more flights and 220,146 more seats compared with February 2009.

Services between North America and Central/South America are up compared to a year ago, with 6% more flights and 6% more capacity between the regions.

Airlines operating transpacific routes are scheduled to offer 1% more flights and 2% (49,186) more seats this month compared to a year ago. 

Carriers flying between Western Europe and Asia are showing a decline of 2% (226) in frequency and a 4% reduction in capacity, with 145,994 fewer seats.

The transatlantic market between North America and Western Europe continues to show a decrease, with 237,269 (5%) fewer seats.  Frequencies are down 5%, representing 964 fewer transatlantic flights for the month.

Figure 7: To/From Western Europe/Asia Pacific

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OAG FACTS enables you to see trends at-a-glance. An easy to use tool providing the latest data on current airline activity around the world. Updated monthly, it uses interactive graphs to display a visual trend of the performance of a specific airport, route, country or region from 2001 - 2010.