Auckland International Airport Ltd. reported on Monday that May passenger traffic totaled 1.41 million, a 1 % decrease from the previous year, driven primarily by a decline in international passengers, while domestic traffic remained unchanged. Queenstown Airport, however, saw stronger traffic growth in both segments.
The airport handled 745,889 international movements in May, a 2 % drop year‑over‑year, coinciding with a 4 % reduction in international seat capacity. Meanwhile, average international load factors rose 1.6 percentage points, reaching 82 %.
Passenger volumes on Auckland‑Middle East routes fell sharply, decreasing by 71 % year‑over‑year, as seat capacity on those services declined by 65 %.
Domestic passenger movements remained steady at 666,386 for the month.
Overall aircraft movements decreased by 5 % to 12,097, while take‑off weight slipped by 1 % to 561,038 tonnes.
Queenstown Airport recorded a 7 % year‑over‑year increase in total passengers, reaching 240,036, and a 5 % rise in aircraft movements to 1,704. International passenger numbers grew 3 %, while domestic traffic rose 9 %.
Year‑to‑date, Auckland Airport handled 17.72 million passengers, a 2 % increase compared with the previous year, reflecting growth across both international and domestic segments.
Auckland International Airport shares rose 2.21 % on the ASX, trading at A$6.96.