IATA report international traffic growth in Dec-2009

2009 was very much a year of two halves for air transport markets. By the end of the year renewed growth took international passenger traffic (measured by RPKs) to a level 4.5% higher than December the previous year,

after recession earlier in the year when passenger markets had shrunk by more than 10%. This severe down followed by upturn produced a total for the year 3.5% lower than 2008. Despite the second half upturn the size of international passengers markets by December was still smaller, by more than 3%, than in early 2008.