Auckland Airport has reported an increase in international passenger numbers for November, driven by robust short-haul travel demand and constrained long-haul capacity. Total international passenger movements reached 885,000, a 3 per cent rise compared to November of the previous year. Excluding transit passengers, the increase was 4 per cent year-on-year. Auckland Airport is New Zealand’s largest airport, providing crucial infrastructure for international and domestic travel. It facilitates connections for millions of passengers annually, supporting tourism and trade.
Despite a slight decrease of 1 per cent in international seat capacity, average load factors climbed to 86 per cent, representing a 3.2 percentage point increase. Short-haul international passenger numbers experienced a 5 per cent increase, aligning with a 4 per cent rise in seat capacity. However, long-haul passenger numbers remained relatively stable compared to the prior year. The capacity reductions in long-haul routes were attributed to delayed seasonal service launches, reduced average seat configurations, and the discontinuation of a specific route.
Domestic passenger movements at Auckland Airport experienced a minor decrease of 1 per cent in November compared to the previous year. Concurrently, seat capacity increased by 1 per cent, leading to a 1.7 percentage point decrease in load factors, settling at 85 per cent. In contrast, Queenstown Airport saw significant growth, with international passenger numbers surging by 20 per cent year-on-year and domestic passenger numbers increasing by 6 per cent.
