OAG (www.oag.com) reports in the July 2010 edition of OAG FACTS that scheduled airline seat capacity within and to and from the Asia Pacific region has the highest growth this month and year-to-date.  The number of seats within the region scheduled for July increased by 10% or 8.5 million, bringing the total to 93.5 million; seat capacity to and from increased by 9% or an additional 1.2 million to a total of 15.3 million seats.

The growth in Asia Pacific is symbolized by significant changes in the ranking of the world’s largest airports. Beijing International Airport has moved up in the worldwide ranking from third to second largest airport (measured by seats), surpassing London Heathrow Airport. Atlanta Hartsfield International remains the largest airport in terms of both seat capacity and flight frequency. Travel to and from and within China continues strong growth, with Guangzhou and Shanghai airports now in the top 20, along with Beijing.

Seat capacity within Asia/Pacific.

Worldwide, seat capacity increased 6% and added 20.5 million seats, to a total of 335.5 million. The total number of operations increased 5% with 2.7 million flights scheduled throughout the month.

 “The growth of air service in the Asia Pacific region has been strong for a number of years and can be expected to continue. Regulatory liberalization along with economic recovery are fuelling the growth.  Asia Pacific is important to airlines around the world as they work to gain additional flights into the region,” said Peter von Moltke, Chief Executive Officer, UBM Aviation.

Although the Asia Pacific region shows the highest growth in total number of seats, capacity within Central and South America leads with the highest percentage increase in July, growing 16% over the same month last year to a total of 22.7 million seats. Seat capacity to and from Africa also shows a strong increase over last year, up 14% to a total of 8.4 million seats.

“Other regions are remarkably resilient despite less encouraging economic news. Again this month, Europe added many seats despite the recession and the financial turmoil caused by the Greek crisis,” continued von Moltke.  

Seat capacity within Europe rose 6% to a total of 79.1 million seats, and the number of flights within increased 4% or to 623,637 flights during the month of July. The number of seats scheduled to and from Europe increased 7% to 26.5 million, and flights scheduled increased 9% to a total of 117,961.

Again this month, North America is the only region showing a decline, seat capacity within the region is down 1% to 80.2 million seats. Seat capacity to and from North America, on the other hand is up 6% to 19.6 million seats.  

This data comes from the July 2010 edition of OAG FACTS (Frequency And Capacity Trend Statistics), a monthly report that uses interactive graphs to display performance trends of specific airports, routes, countries or regions, sourced from OAG’s consolidated database of global airline schedules.

A more detailed review of this month’s OAG FACTS statistics – including information about specific regions, routes and airports with illustrative charts and graphs – is available to download at: download here

OAG FACTS – Executive Summary July 2010

Global Traffic

• July 2010 OAG (Official Airline Guide) schedules database indicates that airlines, worldwide, will offer 6% more seats in July 2010, as compared to the same month a year ago. In July 2010 there will be 335.5 million seats offered, worldwide. The number of flights will increase 5%, the total number of scheduled flights operating in July 2010 is 2.7 million.

Europe

• The change in seat capacity within Europe increases 6% with an additional 4.6 million seats, or a total of 79.1 million, compared to same month last year. Flight operations Within Europe have increased by 24,198 flights to 623,637, an increase of 4%.
  
  
• Traffic To/From Europe reflects growth with an increase of 7% in offered seats or additional 1.8 million, increasing to 26.5 million; a 9% increase in the number of flights, grew by 9,435 to a total of 117,961.

FLIGHTS TO/FROM EUROPE

Africa

• Traffic within Africa reflects strong growth, with an increase 9% in both seats and flight operations. Within this region there will be a total of 6.7 million seats (an additional 582,629) and 66,245 flights (an additional 5,272).
  
  
• The number of seats and flights to/from Africa reflect an increase of 14% each, or an increase of 1.04 million seats and 5,385 additional flights, as compared to June 2009. The monthly total will be 8.4 million seats and 42,968 flights.

CAPACITY TO/FROM AFRICA

North America

• Traffic within North America, again this month, will experience a marginal decline. The total number of seats available will be 80.2 million, or 449,401 fewer than in July 2009; there will be 887,160 flights, a decline of 9,245; both representing a 1% reduction.
  
  
• Seats and flights to/from North America have both increased 6%. The total number of seats available is 19.6 million, and the number of flights that will operate this month is 98,403.

CAPACITY WITHIN NORTH AMERICA

Central and South America

• There will be strong growth within Central & South America, with both seat capacity and flights increasing 16% over the same month a year ago. There will be an increase of 3.1 million seats, to a total of 22.7 million; and a total of 223,406 flights, 30,853 more than July 2009.
  
  
• Traffic to/from Central & South America has increased by 9% both in seat offerings and frequency with a total of 10.3 million seats, an addition of 814,678. There will be 64,017 flights in July, or an additional 5,284.

FLIGHTS WITHIN CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA

Asia Pacific

• Within Asia Pacific there will an increase of 10%, or 8.5 million more seats; and 11% or 60,815 more flights, bringing total seat capacity to 93.5 million and 620,945 flights.
  
  
• The number of seats to/from Asia Pacific increased 9% to 15.3 million; and flights increased 10% to a total of 63,356. This growth signifies an increase of 1.2 million seats and 5,693 flights in July.

CAPACITY TO/FROM ASIA PACIFIC

Middle East

• Seat capacity and number of flights within the Middle East is scheduled to rise by 10% each. Total flights scheduled to operate are 45,989, and seat capacity offered is 7.1 million; an increase of 651,573 seats and 4,337 flights.
  
  
• The number of seats and flights to/from the Middle East reflects an increase of 9% (an additional 1.0 million seats) and 10% (an additional 4,859 flights), respectively with total seat capacity of 12.1 million and frequency of 55,605.

CAPACITY WITHIN THE MIDDLE EAST

Routes and Airport Capacity & Frequency
Noteworthy changes in major routes and airport capacity and frequency in June include:
In terms of seat capacity, traffic from Western Europe to/from Asia Pacific is strong:

• 39% increase to/from Madrid (MAD)
• 21% increase to/from Shanghai (PVG)
• 19% increase to/from Milan (MXP)

Capacity from Asia Pacific to from US & Canada:

• Beijing (PEK) To/From USA & Canada increased 20%
• Vancouver (YVR) To/From Asia Pacific increased 14%
• Singapore (SIN) To/From USA & Canada is the only route to decline in capacity, by 34%

Routes and Airport Capacity & Frequency

Noteworthy changes in major routes, based on airport capacity in July include:

• The growth in capacity from the USA and Canada varies in July.

• 26% increase in seats to and from Beijing
• 17% increase in seats to and from Rome
• 18% loss in seats to and from Milan
• 32% loss in seats to and from Singapore

• There was significant growth in capacity from Asia Pacific to several European cities.

• 39% increase in seats to and from Madrid
• 22% increase in seats to and from Milan

• Travel to and from the Middle East was strong from several European airports.

• 31% increase in seats to and from Rome
• 24% increase in seats to and from Amsterdam
• 10% increase in seats to and from Paris

• Seat capacity increases to and from Central and Latin America is significant in July.

• 22% increase in seats to and from Dallas Forth Worth
• 14% increase in seats to and from Los Angeles
• 13% increase in seats to and from New York (JFK)

Airports – Top Twenty Airports, worldwide, based on seat capacity.

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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.