Anchorage Airport sees decent traffic growth in H1 2018

For the first half of this year, major Alaskan hub Anchorage Airport (ANC) reported a 5.2 increase in traffic to 1.3 million tonnes of cargo – a decent growth rate despite a general decline in traffic growth experienced by carriers from around the world, evident in the many 2018 interim statements that have been cropping up in past weeks.

So, why the stable growth in traffic in a market that is otherwise plateauing? The state of Alaska traditionally relies heavily on air cargo for the import of consumer goods, parcels and mail from the continental United States, largely on the metal of Alaska Airlines. This year, the carrier grew its freighter fleet and increased its frequency on routes between the continental U.S. and its Alaskan destinations, thanks to the recent merger with Virgin Atlantic, calling the trade lane its current focus.

Outside of Alaskan imports, the hub is also an ideal midway point to re-fuel or transfer cargo between aircraft for many trans-Pacific carriers. ANC receives more than 150 widebody freighters daily, hosting the operations of major integrators UPS, FedEx and DHL.

“We are seeing air cargo customers utilize these special transfer rights to increase the efficiency of their networks and that gives them the ability to open new markets,” airport manager Jim Szczesniak said.

The economic turnaround unfolding in Central and South America may also be playing a role in the increased traffic volume, Szezesniak said, adding that the airport is “seeing a lot of growth and interest in using ANC as a connection point between Asia and Latin America.”