European airport trade association ACI Europe said in its traffic report for August 2018 that freight traffic stalled in the month with growth of just 0.3 per cent compared to August 2017.
The association said it was the worst monthly performance since March 2016 and it was “entirely attributable” to the non-European Union market where traffic fell 3.4 per cent, although freight traffic only marginally expanded in the EU by one per cent.
Amongst the top 10 European airports for freight traffic, the highest increases were achieved by Liège Airport with 33.3 per cent, Brussels Airport at 7.7 per cent and Leipzig-Halle Airport at 2.7 per cent.
ACI Europe said the weakest performing airports in August were Istanbul-Ataturk Airport, where tonnage fell by 8.2 per cent, while Luxembourg Airport saw a 5.1 per cent decline and Paris Charles CDG Airport posted a three per cent drop.
ACI Europe director general, Olivier Jankovec (pictured above) also warned of the impending effect of Brexit on air travel: “For now, all eyes are on the Brexit negotiations – not just because of the potential disruptions a no-deal outcome would have on air connectivity, but for the wider economic consequences that would inevitably follow.”
