The world’s top 50 airports | Air Cargo World
Air Cargo World

No products in the cart.

Subscribe
  • News
  • Data & Tools
  • Events
    • Air Cargo Tech Summit
    • 2022 Webinar Series
    • Past Webinars
  • Podcasts
  • Magazine
  • Archives
Thursday, August 11, 2022
Log In
No Result
View All Results
  • Airports
  • Carriers
  • E-Commerce
  • Express
  • Freight Forwarders
  • Technology
Air Cargo World
  • News
  • Data & Tools
  • Events
    • Air Cargo Tech Summit
    • 2022 Webinar Series
    • Past Webinars
  • Podcasts
  • Magazine
  • Archives
Log In
No Result
View All Results
Air Cargo World
No Result
View All Results

The world’s top 50 airports

Staff Reports by Staff Reports
August 25, 2011
in Uncategorized
Reading Time: 6 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedIn
Growth — substantive and encouraging, but perhaps fleeting — is the overarching theme  of the Airports Council International’s ranking of the busiest cargo airports in 2010.

The top 10 airports in the survey averaged a nearly 19-percent increase in cargo tonnage when compared to 2009’s economically depressed results. In that same group of airports, four airports experienced a year-over-year rise of more than 20 percent; if the scope is expanded to the top 50, the number of airports jumps to 14.

Only one airport in the top 50 — Philadelphia International Airport — saw less tonnage in 2010 than it did in 2009. (For the full results, turn to page 40.)

ACI’s 2009 rankings showed that of the top 10 airports (the rankings changed a bit, but the players remained the same), only two had experienced tonnage increases when compared to 2008. Four of the airports saw declines of more than 10 percent.

What a difference two years, and a rebound from a deep recession, makes. Unfortunately, 2011’s final numbers may be muted as well; due to another round of global economic struggles, there may be some weaker numbers up ahead.

Officials at Hong Kong International Airport experienced an unprecedented year of cargo growth, taking the prize as busiest cargo airport in the world from Memphis International. The Hong Kong airport had been plenty busy before, and had actually generated the most tonnage out of any airport on international flights each year since 1996, but the overall push in the Asia-Pacific region toward domestic activity nudged the airport over the top.

“Last year was an exceptional year for air cargo growth, where there was virtually no trough period,” an HKIA spokesman says. “It was a result of the sudden recovery of the economy, urgent replenishment orders, and the emergence of a new wave of high-tech electronic commodities.” The spokesman noted that more than 70 percent of the cargo handlers see is in transit to or from the Pearl River Delta region of China.

Everyone at the airport is anxiously awaiting the impact of Cathay Pacific’s cargo terminal, which is set to open in 2013. Full capacity at the development is expected to be 2.4 million tonnes annually, pushing HKIA’s overall cargo terminal capacity to 7.4 million tonnes a year. A longer-term project is the midfield expansion plan, which will provide freighters with more parking space.

The development that will help shape the future of HKIA, however, isn’t even set. Officials are currently debating the construction of a third runway at the airport, which would require the reclamation of land currently underwater. The other option is to improve the existing structures, but this would put a cap on future expansion. “After reaching saturation, the airport would not be able to introduce new destinations or flights except for substituting existing flights,” the spokesman says.

The first few quarters of 2011 haven’t been so kind to HKIA, a trend that is reflected in almost all of the top airports. Cargo volumes declined 2.3 percent, year-over-year, in the first six months of 2011 due to the general slowdown in world economies and the Japanese crisis. Officials are convinced, however, that more prosperity is around the corner.

“Despite the current slowdown, the industry is cautiously optimistic of the future of air cargo in the latter part of the year, which is the usual peak time for air cargo,” the spokesman says.

Officials at PACTL, a cargo terminal at Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), have seen one of the biggest tonnage growth spurts among the top airports in the Asia-Pacific region. According to an official, the company has seen strong export numbers, but import numbers and domestic cargo throughput are two areas that have really taken off.

But with any growth, comes challenges. PACTL workers immediately point to Customs as one aspect that can be improved. More Customs officers, combined with a better risk-assessment strategy and an overall streamlined process, would help immensely, a spokesman says. He adds that transit procedures also need improvement. Common issues like available infrastructure to support increased activity and the problem of ever-changing security practices are mostly not a concern at PVG.

“Security is not such a big challenge, as there is a clear concept. Security is being taken very seriously in PVG, and this will be the case in the future, too,” he says.

This year will bring a bit more difficulty for PVG, it seems. According to the PACTL spokesman, the airport experienced 2.9-percent less cargo activity in the first half of 2011 than it did in the first six months of 2010. He can’t put his finger on what has caused this decrease, but suspects the poor global economy and China’s economic deflation policy played a part.

The only thing to do is to soldier forward and hope cargo returns. To that end, pilots will be able to land on a fourth runway at PVG in spring 2013; construction of a fifth runway is slated to finish in 2015. A new Customs-free trade zone was put into operation near the airport’s West Cargo City in July. The developments, paired with the emergence of domestic business, bode well for the future.

“We will see much more transit cargo in PVG as well as much more import and domestic cargo. We will see more African and Indian cargo — maybe carriers from these countries as well,” the spokesman predicts. “But we will see fewer charters, as they will move to the second-tier locations on the rise, like Chengdu, Chongqing and Dalian.”

Memphis International Airport still ranks near the top due to its presence as the home base of FedEx, and despite relinquishing the title last year to HKIA, the airport is experiencing growth and expansion. According to Larry Cox, the airport’s president and CEO, 2010’s rise in activity was due to increased international cargo flown through the FedEx Super Hub. The integrator recently opened up a new cargo ramp and what will be the first of five new air cargo buildings. This international-traffic bump is also convincing FedEx to purchase larger aircraft, he says.

Though Cox looks forward to strong international numbers, the domestic tonnage paints another picture. While activity, he says, has stabilized, “fuel costs and a weak economy in North America make future growth challenging.” Still, he expects an overall air cargo growth of 5 percent this year. FedEx’s new facilities and, possibly, new carriers will drive this uptick, he says.

“We are very bullish on our future, as Memphis is becoming widely known as America’s aerotropolis, where runway, road, rail and river merge,” he says.

One seeming anomaly on the report is Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), which is ranked 56th on the list. Officials at the airport saw a staggering 171.6 percent year-over-year increase in tonnage. No other result on the list even comes close to half of CVG’s results.

It turns out, however, that the number can easily be explained by the return of DHL. The main reason CVG’s year-over-year percentage is so big is that 2009’s numbers only reflected six months of DHL’s operations. But DHL did some growing in 2010 and is set to expand even more. This spring, construction began on a $22.5 million-dollar expansion of the DHL facilities, which is set to deliver sometime this month. This activity is also having an impact on 2011’s numbers; in the first six months of the year, tonnage rose 46 percent, year over year.

“DHL has been a great airport and community partner. Their return to CVG has increased jobs in the region and helped to decrease overall operating costs to all carriers at CVG,” says Barb Schempf, the airport’s director of public and government affairs.

In March, airport officials tasked an engineering group with completing a master plan study that will propose strategies to meet demand through 2035. The process has just started, but Schempf knows cargo will be a part of CVG’s future.

“Both in the short term and as part of the master plan study update, cargo plays a critical role in the operations at CVG,” she says. “We will continue to work with our cargo partners to identify and implement airfield and facility requirements necessary to meet, improve and grow their business at CVG and in the region.”

The busiest cargo airports in Europe are all within a small area, and this makes competing in the airfreight market a challenge says Anne Frisch, the operations director at Paris-Charles de Gaulle. It’s much easier for carriers to shop around to try to find the best deal. Less-established airports, she says, get marginalized.

“Existing airports face very strong competition to get their share of business on the basis of advantages that are hard to replicate,” she says.

Activity at Paris-Charles de Gaulle, which ranks sixth on the list, flourished in 2010. The airport is an important European hub for FedEx, Air France and Europe Airpost, and the majority of goods routed through the port were set on trade lanes to Asia and North America.

Paris-CDG officials are currently working to establish a group of cargo specialists. Frisch also points to recent parking-stand expansions that will provide the extra space needed for the new B747-8F.

While French cargo benefited from the global rebound, there are new economic challenges ahead. The current state of Europe’s debt troubles and rising gas prices are reflected in CDG’s second-quarter numbers for 2011. After a 3.9-percent, year-over-year tonnage increase in the first quarter, the market faltered.

“This last quarter’s mixed results are, in part, explained by the Japanese catastrophe in March 2011, but also by the current economic context in Europe and the U.S,” Frisch says. “We usually say that cargo reflects the world economy — and this would once again appear to be the case.”

Top 50

Previous Post

Revenue management: Not just a gut feeling

Next Post

Delta to acquire 100 Boeing 737-900ERs

Related Posts

Listen: Global disruption challenges old habits
News

CLIVE: Rates continue steady drop with slowing demand and rising capacity

August 10, 2022
UPS Airlines launches flights to Delhi with freighters, including 747F
Express

UPS acquires health care logistics group Bomi

August 10, 2022
Menzies Aviation UK ops grow with contract renewals and wins 
News

Agility acquires Menzies Aviation for $921.7M

August 10, 2022
Airports

Mich. airport taps into Amazon potential, local growth

August 9, 2022
The French backwater transforming Airbus jets to feed cargo boom
Airports

The French backwater transforming Airbus jets to feed cargo boom

August 9, 2022
Halifax Stanfield opens cargo logistics park
Airports

Halifax Stanfield opens cargo logistics park

August 9, 2022
Cherry season flies lower than years prior
Specialty Cargo

Cherry season flies lower than years prior

August 8, 2022
Lufthansa transports relief goods to India
Airports

Lufthansa, labor union reach pay agreement for ground workers

August 8, 2022
Magazine
Technology

Tech takes off: Inside the digital adoption surge

August 8, 2022
Next Post

Delta to acquire 100 Boeing 737-900ERs

Comments 1

  1. George says:
    11 years ago
    I wonder why Africa especially Nigeria cannot act as a hub for cargo in Africa. I am currently working on getting an approval to establish a cargo airport in Nigeria. I would appreciate some form of technical expertise and advice on the feasibility and success factors. I am convinced it will be a good deal for anyone who is bold enough to embark on it. I would really appreciate your expert opinion on this.
    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

FROM OUR CONTRIBUTORS

UPS Airlines launches flights to Delhi with freighters, including 747F

Consultant Insight: UPS focuses on efficiency investments as it achieves strong Q2 financial results

July 29, 2022
UPS, InterGlobe announce joint venture MOVIN

Consultant Insight: UPS and FedEx boost operations in India

July 25, 2022
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Consultant Insight: More cargo space for same-day deliveries

July 18, 2022

SPONSORED

Singapore Changi Airport: Taking your Pharma Business Further - Image 2

Singapore Changi Airport: Taking your pharma business further

November 9, 2021
ULD

CODEX by Virtual Control fills gaps in cold-chain shipment visibility

July 2, 2021
Digitizing the ULD transfer process and protecting shipments with Virtual Control

Digitizing the ULD transfer process and protecting shipments with Virtual Control

May 14, 2021
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Terms
  • ADA Compliance
  • Advertise

 Manage Cookie Consent

Follow Us

twitter twitter linkedin podcast

© 2022 Royal Media & Air Cargo World

No Result
View All Results
  • News
    • All News
    • Airports
    • Carriers
    • E-Commerce
    • Express
    • Freight Forwarders
    • Technology
  • Data & Tools
  • Events
    • Air Cargo Tech Summit
    • 2022 Webinar Series
    • Cargo Facts EMEA
    • Cargo Facts Symposium
    • Cargo Facts Asia
  • Webinars
  • Podcasts
  • Magazine
  • Archives
  • Subscribe Test
  • Log In / Account

© 2022 Royal Media & Air Cargo World

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Powered By MemberPress WooCommerce Plus Integration
THIS WEBSITE USES COOKIES

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “I CONSENT”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.

Cookie settingsI CONSENT

Review our Cookie Policies
.
Manage Cookie Consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
34f6831605sessionGeneral purpose platform session cookie, used by sites written in JSP. Usually used to maintain an anonymous user session by the server.
a64cedc0bfsessionGeneral purpose platform session cookie, used by sites written in JSP. Usually used to maintain an anonymous user session by the server.
AWSALBCORS7 daysThis cookie is managed by Amazon Web Services and is used for load balancing.
cf_use_obpastCloudflare sets this cookie to improve page load times and to disallow any security restrictions based on the visitor's IP address.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category .
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
CRAFT_CSRF_TOKENsessionThis cookie is set by the provider Craft CMS. This cookie is used for the purpose of website security that is Cross-Site-Request forgery prevention whenever a form is used.
crmcsrsessionGeneral purpose platform session cookie, used by sites written in JSP. Usually used to maintain an anonymous user session by the server.
JSESSIONIDsessionThe JSESSIONID cookie is used by New Relic to store a session identifier so that New Relic can monitor session counts for an application.
LS_CSRF_TOKENsessionCloudflare sets this cookie to track users’ activities across multiple websites. It expires once the browser is closed.
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
CookieDurationDescription
_zcsr_tmpsessionZoho sets this cookie for the login function on the website.
663a60c55dsessionThis cookie is related to Zoho (Customer Service) Chatbox
bcookie2 yearsLinkedIn sets this cookie from LinkedIn share buttons and ad tags to recognize browser ID.
bscookie2 yearsLinkedIn sets this cookie to store performed actions on the website.
e188bc05fesessionThis cookie is set in relation to Zoho Campaigns
iamcsrsessionZoho (Customer Support) sets this cookie and is used for tracking visitors (for performance purposes)
langsessionLinkedIn sets this cookie to remember a user's language setting.
li_gc2 yearsLinkedIn uses to store consent of guests regarding the use of cookies for non-essential purposes
lidc1 dayLinkedIn sets the lidc cookie to facilitate data center selection.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
CookieDurationDescription
AWSALB7 daysAWSALB is an application load balancer cookie set by Amazon Web Services to map the session to the target.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
CookieDurationDescription
_ga2 yearsThe _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors.
_gid1 dayInstalled by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously.
CONSENT2 yearsYouTube sets this cookie via embedded youtube-videos and registers anonymous statistical data.
vuid2 yearsVimeo installs this cookie to collect tracking information by setting a unique ID to embed videos to the website.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
CookieDurationDescription
_dc_gtm_UA-1038974-181 minuteUsed to help identify the visitors by either age, gender, or interests by DoubleClick - Google Tag Manager.
_fbp3 monthsThis cookie is set by Facebook to display advertisements when either on Facebook or on a digital platform powered by Facebook advertising, after visiting the website.
fr3 monthsFacebook sets this cookie to show relevant advertisements to users by tracking user behaviour across the web, on sites that have Facebook pixel or Facebook social plugin.
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE5 months 27 daysA cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface.
YSCsessionYSC cookie is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages.
yt-remote-connected-devicesneverYouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video.
yt-remote-device-idneverYouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video.
yt.innertube::nextIdneverThis cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
yt.innertube::requestsneverThis cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
CookieDurationDescription
34f6831605sessionGeneral purpose platform session cookie, used by sites written in JSP. Usually used to maintain an anonymous user session by the server.
ig_putmasessionNo description
Save & Accept
Powered by CookieYes Logo
Go to mobile version