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Economic conditions no deterrent to travellers to and from SAThird quarter arrivals and departures at South African airports rose 4.4% year-on-year, the Airports Company SA (Acsa) said on Tuesday. International arrivals rose 5.5% and departures 5.7% compared to the same period, a sign that the aviation sector remained resilient despite economic conditions, according Acsa's second aviation barometer. ![]() ©Brian Jackson via 123RF The first barometer was released in August showing that in the first quarter, passenger arrival and departure growth had risen by 8.4% and 8.6% respectively. The figures are intended to inform longer-term planning based on the demand of routes, including for the tourism and hospitality industries. Acsa said on Tuesday domestic arrivals had risen 3.8% year on year and departures 3.7%. Total arrivals at King Shaka International Airport in Durban rose 8.4% over the period, attributed to the introduction of new airlines at the airport, including Ethiopian Airlines which introduced a direct flight to Addis Ababa in December 2015. Acsa said third quarter numbers were traditionally lower due to the northern hemisphere summer, although regional performance was strong with a 7.8% increase in regional arrivals compared to 2015. In the second quarter of 2016, passenger arrivals increased 4.6% year-on-year. Passenger departures rose 5.8%. Source: BDpro |