Huntsville Airport's air cargo drops 24.3pc in November

HUNTSVILLE International Airport has suffered a 24.3 per cent decline in air freight in November compared to the same month in 2007, albeit a fall of only 2.6 per cent in the first 11 months of the year. Nationwide, air cargo was down 13 per cent in December.

On the other hand passenger traffic at the airport had fallen 2.9 per cent in December compared to December 2007, but for the whole of 2008, more than 1.25 million passengers passed through the airport, missing the record set in 2005 by 12,051 passengers.

We're the exception around the country, having an increase in 2008, Executive Director Rick Tucker was quoted as saying in a Huntsville Times, Huntsville, Alabama, report.

At the International Intermodal Centre, rail cargo traffic decreased by 11.5 per cent in December 208 compared to the same month a year earlier, but registered an increase of 1.8 per cent for the year.

Looking ahead, Mr Tucker warned in the report, "The prospects for 2009, it doesn't look favourable for passenger traffic." This comes amid expectations that commercial airlines calling at the airport will reduce available seats either by halting flights or by flying smaller planes on routes.

Airport marketing director Barbie Peek said airlines serving Huntsville plan to reduce the number of flights by 16 per cent and seating by 13 per cent in February.

Source: American Shipper