More cargo and passengers shipped by air

Air transport at Dutch airports has grown dramatically in recent years. In the first three quarters of 2006, the volume of passengers and cargo transported by air increased by almost 19 percent, relative to the same period in 2003; in absolute figures more than 37 million passengers and nearly 1.2 million tons of cargo were involved.

Half of air passengers travel within the European Union

A large majority (90 percent) of passengers landing on or taking off from Dutch airports in the first nine months of 2006 were travelling on scheduled flights. More than half of these passengers did not leave the European Union.
Most of them travelled to and from the United Kingdom (6 million) and to and from the United States (3.5 million).

Passengers at Dutch airports, quarters 1-3

Fivefold increase air cargo volume to and from China

In 80 percent of cases, air cargo was transported on scheduled flights last year. The volume of cargo transported by air in the first three quarters of 2006 totalled 1.2 million tons.
The United States were still the most important air cargo partner of the Netherlands. More than 0.2 million tons of goods were carried across the Atlantic by air to and from the US.
China (excluding Hong Kong) is runner-up with more than 0.1 million tons, i.e. five times the volume transported in 2003. Together, China and Hong Kong shipped nearly 0.2 million tons of goods through Dutch airports in 2006.

Cargo transport through Dutch airports, quarters 1-3

Fewer but larger planes

In the first nine months of last year, 351 thousand starts and take-offs were recorded at Dutch airports, a reduction relative to 2000 and 2001. Yet, the total volume of passengers and cargo has grown considerably since 2000, chiefly because larger aircraft were used in recent years. After a setback in 2002 and 2003, the number of aircraft movements is again on the increase since 2004.

Number of flight aircraft movements at Dutch airports, quarters 1-3

Wick Schaafstra