DieselDragRacer
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Beijing surpassed London's Heathrow Airport in passenger traffic last year, becoming the second busiest airport in the world, according to a preliminary report released Tuesday by Airports Council International.
Heathrow, hobbled last year by snow storms, a volcanic eruption in Iceland, and strikes by airline workers that led to massive cancellations of flights, dropped to number four on the list behind Chicago's O'Hare.
Beijing's ascent highlights the rise of the Asia Pacific region which is on the cusp of becoming the biggest air travel market in the world, largely because of China's increasing economic dominance.
"Given China's massive population base, a population that is increasingly able to travel by air, and China's role in global commerce and tourism ... China will be the primary driver behind much of the region's growth," says Henry Harteveldt, airline analyst with Forrester Research. "Given the current situation in Japan, it's possible that China's growth and dominance may become even more pronounced, as travel within, from and to Japan will undoubtedly soften to some extent near-term."
But Atlanta, a hub for Delta and low-cost carrier AirTran, was able to hold on to the top spot.
"Atlanta has the benefit of having a very strong global carrier, as well as a strong low-fare airline," says Deborah McElroy, executive vice president for policy and external affairs for Airports Council International, North America.
"That blend allowed the airport to be able to better withstand some of the challenges of the economic recession. Having the two hubs with a varied traffic mix was one of the reasons they were able to retain that top spot."
Charlotte saw a 10.4% rise in passenger traffic, the only airport outside of Asia and the Mideast among the world's top 30 busiest to show a double digit increase. But Las Vegas, which saw airlines cut flights during the recession, saw its traffic dip by 2.6%.
The report was based on the responses from more than 900 airports globally. A larger, final survey will be released later this year.
Heathrow, hobbled last year by snow storms, a volcanic eruption in Iceland, and strikes by airline workers that led to massive cancellations of flights, dropped to number four on the list behind Chicago's O'Hare.
Beijing's ascent highlights the rise of the Asia Pacific region which is on the cusp of becoming the biggest air travel market in the world, largely because of China's increasing economic dominance.
"Given China's massive population base, a population that is increasingly able to travel by air, and China's role in global commerce and tourism ... China will be the primary driver behind much of the region's growth," says Henry Harteveldt, airline analyst with Forrester Research. "Given the current situation in Japan, it's possible that China's growth and dominance may become even more pronounced, as travel within, from and to Japan will undoubtedly soften to some extent near-term."
But Atlanta, a hub for Delta and low-cost carrier AirTran, was able to hold on to the top spot.
"Atlanta has the benefit of having a very strong global carrier, as well as a strong low-fare airline," says Deborah McElroy, executive vice president for policy and external affairs for Airports Council International, North America.
"That blend allowed the airport to be able to better withstand some of the challenges of the economic recession. Having the two hubs with a varied traffic mix was one of the reasons they were able to retain that top spot."
Charlotte saw a 10.4% rise in passenger traffic, the only airport outside of Asia and the Mideast among the world's top 30 busiest to show a double digit increase. But Las Vegas, which saw airlines cut flights during the recession, saw its traffic dip by 2.6%.
The report was based on the responses from more than 900 airports globally. A larger, final survey will be released later this year.
