Auckland Airport May Traffic Dips As Middle East Routes Hit By Unrest; Domestic Traffic Flat

(RTTNews) - Auckland International Airport Ltd. (AIA.AX) reported Monday that total passengers through Auckland Airport reached 1.41 million in May, down 1 percent on the prior year, mainly due to weak international passenger traffic, while domestic traffic was flat. However, Queenstown Airport generated improved traffic in both regions.

In the month, the company recorded 745,889 international passenger movements at Auckland Airport, down 2 percent year-on-year, as international seat capacity declined 4 percent. Average international load factors grew 1.6 percentage points to 82 percent.

Auckland-Middle East routes continued to be impacted by the unrest in the region, with passenger numbers down 71 percent and seat capacity down 65 percent year-on-year.

Auckland Airport's domestic passenger movements were flat at 666,386 in the month.

Total aircraft movements and take-off weight fell 5 percent to 12,097 and 1 percent to 561,038 tonnes, respectively, in May from last year.

Further, Queenstown Airport's total passengers up 7 percent year-on-year to 240,036 and total aircraft movements up 5 percent to 1,704. International passengers rose 3 percent and domestic passengers increased 9 percent.

For the financial year to date, Auckland Airport's total passenger movements reached 17.72 million, up 2 percent on the prior year with growth in both regions.

On the ASX, shares of Auckland Intl. Airport were gaining 2.21 percent, changing hands at A$6.96.