Media

The upward trend in Ireland's air traffic continued in June with a 1.8% increase overall in traffic when compared to the same month the previous year, an average of 1,644 flights through Irish controlled airspace every day.

En route flights (flights transiting between Europe and North America and the majority of which do not land in Ireland) increased by 2.1% when compared to June 2010.

Traffic figures for the first six months of 2011 are subject to distortion when compared to the first half of 2010 due to the impact of the Icelandic volcanic ash crisis in April / May 2010.  However, when adjustments are made to compensate for the volcanic ash, Ireland's en route traffic movements for January to June 2011 show an increase of circa 5% over the same period in 2010.  

Commercial terminal traffic for Shannon, Dublin and Cork airports rose by 1.5% compared to June 2010. Individually, the June figures for the three State airports when compared to the previous year are;

• The number of commercial flights at Dublin was static and averaged 479 movements daily
• Commercial flights at Cork were down 3.5%, an average of 72 movements daily
• Commercial flights at Shannon were up 22.5%, averaging 64 movements per day.

The International Air Transport Association's (IATA) Airline Financial Monitor for May - June 2011 notes the following key issues facing the industry;

• Passenger and freight capacity continues to expand. Air travel demand bounced back in May but freight sluggish and both now on a slower trend of 4% a year.
• Jet fuel prices starting to trend downwards but are still 40% higher than the first half of 2010.
• So far this year airlines shares are 12% down, compared to a 2% rise in worldwide share prices. Higher oil prices and slower economic growth is damaging airline profits more than the profitability of most other sectors.

Separately Eurocontrol, in its latest traffic forecast indicates that 2011 is expected to see circa 3.2% growth in flights across Europe, a downwards revision on the last publication. 2012 will be similar with circa +3.1% growth.  Europe is forecast to have 11.6 million flights in 2017, 22% more than in 2010.

ENDS