Auckland Airport's international passengers rise 9.3% in October

Auckland International Airport, the country’s major gateway, lifted the number of international passengers by 9.3 percent in October, making up for a decline in domestic travelers.

International passengers rose to 634,994 excluding transits in October, from 581,088 in the same month last year, helped by Rugby World Cup visitors. The volume of overseas passengers climbed 5.8 percent in September.

The introduction of flights from China Airlines and China Southern Airlines helped add to international growth, the airport company said.

The Rugby World Cup drove international arrivals up 18.8 percent from October 2010. This was aided by a 369 percent surge in tourists from South Africa and a jump of 148 percent from France.

Domestic passenger volumes fell 1.7 percent to 505,743 in the month, as Rugby World Cup traffic reduced local business and leisure travel.

The maximum certified take-off weight, which is used to set airfield charges, rose 7.3 percent, compared to October 2010, led by Air New Zealand, Jetstar and Korean Airlines.

Queenstown Airport reported a 50.8 percent lift in international passenger movements to 9,617, and an 11.2 percent gain in domestic passengers to 64,131. Auckland Airport holds a 25 percent stake in the Queenstown gateway.

Mackay Airport lifted domestic passengers by 5.1 percent to 100,111, while Cairns Airport experienced a drop in international passengers of 2.2 percent to 58,569 in the period.

Auckland Airport’s shares fell 1.2 percent to $2.32 on the NZX, and have gained 6.4 percent so far this year.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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