Fri, Feb 06, 2009
Capacity Cuts Reflected In Slight Drop In Numbers
Passenger traffic for calendar year 2008 at Detroit Metropolitan
Wayne County Airport (DTW) dropped a modest 2.4 percent compared to
2007 amidst major airline capacity cutbacks, according to
preliminary data released this week by the Wayne County Airport
Authority's (WCAA) Financial Planning & Analysis Division.
According to WCAA figures, a total of 35,135,828 passengers
arrived at or departed from DTW last year -- 877,650 fewer than in
2007.
The decline in passenger traffic in 2008 is largely attributed
to major cuts in airline capacity in the fourth quarter. For the
month of December alone, passenger traffic dropped 6 percent from
2.82 million in December 2007 to 2.65 million in December 2008.
Total international passenger traffic dropped by less than one
percent in 2008. Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines plans to inaugurate new
non-stop flights from Detroit to Rome, Italy, and Shanghai, China,
this summer.
Aircraft landings and take-offs (operations) at the airport
declined only 1 percent for the year at 462,700.
"Given that airlines are cutting capacity worldwide in response
to global economic conditions, a drop in air traffic -- especially
near the end of last year -- was to be expected," said WCAA CEO
Lester Robinson. "That Detroit Metro fared well compared to many
other airports in terms of lost passengers would indicate to us
that our market is relatively strong and that we are
well-positioned for growth when the economy turns around."
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