Airlines
Global Pax Traffic Extends Gains while Freight Volumes Slump
Middle East leads growth in both sectors
Dubai International Airport saw passenger traffic grow by 10.4 percent in the first half of the year. (Photo: Flickr: Creative Commons (BY) by Martin Feher)
Dubai International Airport saw passenger traffic grow by 10.4 percent in the first half of the year. (Photo: Flickr: Creative Commons (BY) by Martin Feher)

Air transport has managed to avoid severe repercussions from geopolitical risks such as the Greek debt crisis and ongoing events in Ukraine, the Middle East and West Africa during the first half of this year, registering traffic growth of 5.7 percent at the world’s major airports, according to a report released Monday by Airports Council International (ACI). However, ACI called a 3.4-percent growth rate in air freight markets “subdued,” as global demand for foreign goods and commodities weakened since last year and business confidence entered a state of “limbo” for the first half of 2015, a circumstance reflected in a weakening of orders by air and accumulating inventories.