Macquarie Airports says passenger traffic fell across its portfolio of airports again in June, although the rate of decline has moderated. Traffic through Sydney fell, while a separate report found business at Melbourne Airport defied the industry trends.
The airport investor owns 74 per cent of Sydney Airport, major stakes in Copenhagen, Brussels and Bristol airports and a minority investment in a Mexican airport group.
MAp said traffic at Sydney Airport fell by 4.1 per cent in June to 2.415 million passengers, compared to the same month last year.
MAp stapled securities were up eight cents, or 3.56 per cent, at $2.33 at 1355 AEST.
In May, Sydney Airport reported a 4.4 per cent decrease in traffic, compared to the same month a year earlier.
The Japanese market was again Sydney Airport's worst performer in June, with visitors numbers down by 47 per cent.
The second worst performer for the airport was Korea, with traffic down by 25 per cent.
On a positive note, Sydney Airport recorded a 14 per cent increase in passengers from the US, while visitors from France were up 16 per cent and Canadian passenger numbers were up by three per cent.
MAp chief executive Kerrie Mather said the traffic performance at MAp's airports in June ``showed continued evidence of moderation in the rates of decline''.
At MAp's European airports traffic numbers dropped in June, albeit at a slower rate that in May.
In Bristol traffic fell by 11.9 per cent in June, compared to the same month a year earlier, while Brussels reported a 9.1 per cent drop and Copenhagen fell by 8.7 per cent.
In May, Bristol's traffic fell by 16.9 per cent, while Brussels was down by 9.8 per cent and Copenhagen fell by 12.7 per cent.
Meanwhile, Melbourne Airport has defied a difficult year in aviation by recording 2.1 per cent growth in passenger numbers, according to a separate report.
The airport has released figures showing the growth could be attributed to international passenger markets, including the emerging Indian and Malaysian markets and established markets such as New Zealand, with growth of 33 per cent, 34 per cent and 5 per cent respectively.
The fourth quarter recorded growth of 6.3 per cent growth in international numbers despite the impact of swine flu.
The overall result for international numbers for the 2008-09 financial year was growth of three per cent and two per cent growth for domestic passengers.
The result proved Melbourne was resilient as a key tourism and business city, airport chief executive Chris Woodruff said.
He said it had been a difficult operating environment for the tourism and aviation industry.
''We continue to invest in Victoria's future with our $330 million international terminal expansion,'' he said.
Qatar Airways and V Australia had announced they would begin Melbourne services in the second half of the year and Singapore Airlines announced they would commence daily A380 services in September this year, he said.