International passenger traffic grows by 5.9%

New Delhi: International passenger traffic has grown by 5.9 per cent in the first quarter of this year, reflecting "strong economic prospects" in India and China, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) pointed out.
This was also the fourth consecutive month with freight traffic growth above five per cent at 5.2, "The strongest sustained rally for freight traffic in a year," IATA's Director General and CEO Giovanni Bisignani said.
"It reflects strong economic prospects in fast developing India and China" he said.
However, he observed that crude prices remained "the wild card" for industry profitability. A 25 per cent hike in fuel prices in the last two months imposed "an enormous burden" on the industry, which could suffer an estimated 2.2 billion dollar loss this year, Bisignani said.
30/04/06 PTI/The Hindu

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