Passenger movement on domestic flights continues to expand. The flux in August was the third largest this year. According to a Civil Aviation Department (DAC) survey announced by the National Airline Syndicate (SNEA), the volume of passengers transported in August grew 18.8% in comparison with August, 2004.
2.8 million passengers traveled on domestic flights in August, 400 thousand more than in August, 2004. The occupancy rate on domestic flights also rose, from 66% to 68%. So far this year, domestic air travel has grown 16.4% in comparison with the same period last year, with an average occupancy rate of 70%.
According to Ronaldo Jenkins, adviser to the presidency of the SNEA, the sector is experiencing favorable conditions. “The demand for air transportation has really gone up,” Jenkins comments. The syndicate expects to end the year of 2006 with an overall growth of around 16% on domestic routes.
Brazilian passenger traffic on international flights, on the other hand, grew only 0.2% in August in comparison with August, 2004. The growth index for international flights in August was the smallest in the last 17 months.
According to Jenkins, one of the factors contributing to the low rate of growth was the passage of hurricane Katrina through the United States at the end of the month.
“Since our most important transportation corridor for passengers is between Brazil and the United States, it stands to reason that all the news about the problems caused by the hurricane had an influence on air transportation there,” he says.
He believes that the effects of Katrina will continue to affect the international aviation sector in September.
The occupancy rate on international flights last month was 78%, the same as in August, 2004. So far this year, air traffic on international routes is up 10.2%, with a 76% average occupancy rate, in comparison with the period between January and August, 2004. The SNEA expects to end the year of 2005 with an overall growth of close to 11% on international routes.
Agência Brasil