Airport update

MEMPHIS International Airport has recorded its first year-on-year increase in cargo traffic for 14 months. June’s traffic rose 1.5 per cent compared to the same month last year.
“This is the first upturn we’ve seen,” said commissioner John Stokes. “That’s a terrific sign.”

DUBAI Airports has announced its June cargo traffic fell 2.3 per cent year-on-year. A total of 152,278 tonnes of cargo was shipped as compared to 155,919 tonnes in June last. Cargo traffic fell 0.76 per cent over the whole of the first half of 2009 – 874,828 tonnes –  compared to the global decline of 22 per cent.

“Cargo is holding its own in a very tough economic environment,” said Paul Griffiths, chief executive officer of Dubai Airports. “Growth is being driven by strong demand during the peak summer period, the growing strength and attractiveness of the Dubai hub, underpinned by the continued expansion of Emirates, and an influx of new airlines at a rate of one per month.”

MANAGEMENT of Uganda’s Entebbe Airport is due to be signed over to a Chinese company for 10 years. President Museveni personally approved Changi Airport Group’s investment plan following a government technical investigation.

Works and Transport Minister, John Nasasira, confirmed that the airport itself had not been sold: “We have not sold it,” he said. “We are still studying the proposal by the investor. They are coming to improve service delivery at the airport. They will also construct exhibition centres and free trade zones at the airport. It’s just giving better services to people.”

VIETNAM is to spend US$600 million upgrading the currently domestic-only Cam Ranh Airport into an international one. According to the plan, the airport will first be able to handle an increased 100,000 tonnes of cargo each year and then by 2030, 200,000 tonnes.

TAIWAN’S Taipei Songshan Airport is to build an international cargo terminal to be ready for when the new Taiwan-Japan route starts next year.

Taiwan’s China Airlines and Eva Airways and Japan’s Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways will each operate two daily return flights between the two airports from October 2010

“As all those flights will be allowed to carry cargo, we need to build an international cargo terminal to facilitate delivery services,” said Lee Lung-wen, director-general of the Civil Aeronautics Administration.

“Construction of the new cargo terminal is scheduled to be completed next March or April,” he added.

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