Traffic Update 
March 2007

 Detailed Results - 757K   

12 million passengers in three months

Three months into the New Year, George Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby Airports have already served more than 12 million passengers. Ellington Field has seen a 23.5 percent increase in aircraft operations through the month of March 2007.

In March alone, the joint-use civil/military airport saw a dramatic increase of 51 percent in aircraft operations, many of them from general aviation and military aircraft. In fact, 33,451 aircraft touched base at Ellington Field during the first three months of 2007.

Total international passenger traffic has increased 3.5 percent year-to-date through the same timeframe, with more than 1.8 million travelers already served, and domestic traffic for Bush and Hobby airports combined is up 1.3% year-to-date with nearly 10.5 million passengers.

Air cargo and passenger traffic to Europe and Asia, Africa and Australia combined were particularly strong in March of 2007. Total air cargo traffic to Asia, Africa and Australia increased 93 percent, year-over-year, during the month. These increases are due to additional cargo service added by China Airlines and Korean Airlines Cargo. Passenger traffic to Europe increased by 14 percent, which is due in part to increased service levels by carriers such as Lufthansa and Air France year-over-year.

Among the top-performing cargo airlines for the month of March 2007 were Aeromexico which has an additional daily passenger flight, Saudi Arabian Airlines—one additional weekly operation—and Burlington Air Express with respective increases of 52 percent, 42 percent and 16 percent.

Some of the top-performing passenger airlines for the month include Lufthansa, Aeromexico and Air France, with respective year-over-year increases of 36 percent, 29 percent and 26 percent. Each of these airlines has increased their capacity operating to/from IAH year-over-year in March.  

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The Houston Airport System served more than 51 million passengers in 2006. It is the 4th-largest multi-airport system in the U.S. and the 6th-largest in the world. Bush Intercontinental is the nation’s 9th-busiest airport. According to J.D. Powers & Associates, William P. Hobby Airport is first in customer satisfaction among smaller airports in the United States. HAS annually contributes over $24 billion in positive economic impact to the Greater Houston region. For more information watch Houston Airports Today every Saturday at 9:00 am on KTBU Channel 55 or visit www.fly2houston.com