Bangkok displaces HK as major hub airport

The world’s airlines have scheduled 2.883 per cent more capacity on 1.86 per cent more flights this month, marking the eighth consecutive month of growth compared to the same period last year, the OAG reported.

The OAG Facts (Frequency and Capacity Trend Statistics) report for January reveals that average seats per flight total 126, compared to 125 a year ago, in a continued trend of airlines deploying next-generation aircraft such as A380s, B777-300ERs or B737-800s, especially in slot-constrained airports.

In seat capacity terms, Bangkok overtook Hong Kong as the sixth-largest seat-capacity provider with 14.44 per cent year on year growth to 6,329,628 seats, and similarly, Dubai overtook Los Angeles for the eighth position with 12.26-per-cent year on year growth to 6,245,461 seats.

Atlanta remained the largest airport in the world by both schedule frequency and seat capacity, although schedule frequency declined by 3.17 per cent while seat capacity shed 1.51 per cent compared to the same period last year.

In seat capacity terms, Beijing has cemented its position as the second-largest provider in the world, with 8,449,273 seats offered, a remarkable 4.06-per-cent growth over the corresponding period last year.

Beijing is also pulling away from its nearest competitor London Heathrow, almost doubling its seat capacity variance from 323,690 seats last year to 612,732 seats this year.

Beijing is also quickly catching up on schedule frequency, with 2.67-per-cent year on year growth, the second strongest annual growth rate behind Los Angeles. Beijing and Los Angeles are the only two airports that recorded growth in schedule frequency among the top 10 airports globally.

Regionally, the gap between the Asia-Pacific and North America intra-region markets has further widened, with Asia-Pacific now recording 39 per cent more intra-region seat capacity compared to North America. Schedule frequency and seat capacity to/from Asia-Pacific increased by 7.29 per cent and 6.29 per cent respectively against the same period last year.

Also noteworthy is that international seat capacity to/from Japan has been restored to the pre-earthquake/tsunami level.

"Within Central and South America" was the only region to record double-digit year on year growth in both schedule frequency and seat capacity, and the Middle East region grew schedule frequency and seat capacity 9.08 per cent and 9.24 per cent respectively.

"Asia-Pacific continues its remarkable growth, and the full recovery in Japan is evidence of the market’s strength and a wonderful way to begin 2012.

"However, the Asia-Pacific aviation market faces challenges to maintaining growth due to highly constrained airports in some major hubs, namely Beijing, which is poised to overtake Atlanta as the world’s largest airport this year," said John Grant, executive vice president of UBM Aviation.