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Every region served by the Houston Airport System’s (HAS) George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and William P. Hobby (HOU) airports saw significant increases in passenger traffic for 2005. HAS’ joint-use civil/military airport, Ellington Field also closed the year with substantial growth – total aircraft operations at that facility increased by 33.1 percent, year over year, for the month of December. With service to more than 120 domestic and 73 international destinations, the Houston Airport System last year served 48 million passengers. This marked an increase of 6.9 percent year-over-year and added roughly 4 million more travelers to the customer network of the sixth-largest airport system in the world. Accounting for this considerable growth in traveler numbers, were increases in all six regions served by the Houston Airport System: Asia/Africa/Australia, Canada, United States (domestic), Mexico, Central and South America and Europe. For 2005, these regions registered year-over-year increases of 16.1 percent, 11 percent, 8.9 percent, 8.2 percent, 7.9 percent and 5.7 percent, respectively.

© Houston Airport System 48 million passengers were served by the Houston Airport System in 2005 .

Also continuing its recent trend toward positive month-to-month increases in freight poundage, HAS registered a third month of positive growth for the month of December, with a year-over-year increase of 2.4 percent. This despite industry-wide lackluster results in air cargo increases. Through the end of December 2005, HAS handled 144,514 metric tons of international freight poundage – including domestic freight poundage, a total of 347,762 metric tons of air cargo were handled at HAS during 2005.

Among the top-performing carriers at HAS were the two primary airlines at HOU and IAH. At Hobby Airport, Southwest Airlines closed the year with an increase of 4.6 percent for the month of December, in comparison to the same month in 2004. While Continental Airlines saw increases in both domestic and international passenger traffic, to and from Central and South America, at IAH for the month of December, with increases of 6.9 percent and 17.7 percent, respectively.

Other carriers who also faired significantly well during the 12 months of 2005 were Air France, with an increase of 11 percent; KLM, with an increase of 10 percent; and British Airways, with an increase of 9 percent. For the month of December, Aeromexico, American and American Eagle Airlines together, and China Airlines all registered significant growth, with respective year-over-year increases of 10.8 percent, 20.2 percent and 18.2 percent.

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The Houston Airport System served 48 million passengers in 2005. It is the 4th-largest multi-airport system in the U.S. and the 6th-largest in the world. Bush Intercontinental is the world’s 12th-busiest airport. For more information visit www.fly2houston.com.