Airports in the Asia-Pacific and the Middle East maintained steady growth in June 2015, reporting year over year passenger growth of +4.9 per cent and +6.1 per cent respectively, while air freight continued to be impacted by slowdown across Asian export markets, according to the latest statistics from the Airports Council International (ACI).

In June 2015, Asia-Pacific recorded a decrease of -0.2 per cent and the Middle East maintained growth at +4.5 per cent from the same period last year.

From January to June this year, Asia-Pacific generated cumulative cargo growth of +3 per cent with New Delhi (DEL) achieving the highest growth rate at +12.2 per cent. The Middle East grew at +8.6 per cent year-to-date and its largest freight hub Dubai (DXB) recorded increase of +2.8 per cent.

In the first half of 2015 the key cargo hubs in the Asia-Pacific, Middle East region all saw growth: Shanghai Pudong (PVB) +5.0 per cent, Dubai (DXB) +2.8 per cent and Hong Kong (HKG) +0.6 per cent.

Looking ahead towards the second half of 2015, ACI said the continuing slow down in trade activities will continue to put pressures on both passenger and freight traffic in the coming months.

A number of major airports in the Asia-Pacific generated year-on-year passenger growth in excess of 15 per cent in 1H 2015: Shanghai Pudong (PVG) +18.5 per cent, Bangkok (BKK) +18.5 per cent, Mumbai (BOM) +17.8 per cent, and Kunming (KMG) +20.2 per cent. Bangkok Don Muang (DMK) continued to generate the highest increase among major airports at +50.3 per cent.