ACI reports Nov drop in global air traffic Global freight growth dropped dramatically in November according to the latest statistics released by Airports Council International (ACI) from 165 key airports around the world. International freight plummeted by 15.6 per cent and domestic tonnage by 13.1 per cent on average. The year-to-date and the rolling 12-month year periods also registered negative growth compared to the same time period of the previous year leaving only the Middle East with positive results amongst all the regions. International passenger traffic, previously the driver of robust growth during the first half of 2008, decreased in November by 5.8 per cent, and worldwide domestic traffic dropped by 8.5 per cent for the month. Driven by countries in North Africa and around the Arabian Gulf as well as Lebanon, only the Middle East (+8 per cent) and Africa (+5 per cent) regions recorded solid growth in international traffic for the month. This was contrasted by significant drops elsewhere, including Europe (-6 per cent), Asia Pacific (-11 per cent) and North America (-4 per cent). Asia Pacific¡¯s 2 per cent growth for domestic traffic, due to growth in China, was offset by stark declines in Europe (-15 per cent) and North America (-12 per cent).