Sydney Airport has reported international traffic up +2.8% to 13.1m 2014 and domestic traffic +1.2% to 25.3m.

 

Commenting on the 38.4m total (+1.7%), CEO Kerrie Mather said: “International traffic growth of 2.3% in December reflected continued strong growth in load factors, which improved 1.5 percentage points against the prior corresponding period. Over 2014, international passengers grew 2.8% and load factors improved by 1.6 percentage points.

 

“Sydney Airport welcomed Cebu Pacific Air for the first time in 2014, as well as a new route from Fiji Airways.

 

“In addition, Qantas, Virgin Australia, China Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, LAN and Singapore Airlines delivered frequency increases and Qantas, Air Canada and Cathay Pacific upguaged aircraft.”

 

 

CHINESE: SYDNEY’S FASTEST GROWING

Mather said the airport was also ‘delighted’ with Etihad’s decision to deploy a second A380 aircraft on the Sydney route in 2015, so adding 38% more capacity between Sydney and Abu Dhabi.

 

Mather added: “Australian nationality travellers, our largest market at approximately half of all international travellers, grew 1.9% in December during the busy holiday period. Over 2014, Australian nationality passengers increased by a robust 1.5%.

 

“The strongest foreign nationality passenger growth during December came from the nationalities of China (+18.1%), Malaysia (+13.0%), USA (+3.9%), Philippines (+27.1%), India (+8.0%) and Canada (+6.6%).

 

“Chinese nationality travellers were again Sydney’s fastest and most consistently growing market, up 16.4% in 2014. Growth in Chinese travellers through Sydney Airport accounted for 50% of foreign nationality growth.”