The number of passengers using Kuwait International airport fell by eight per cent in November 2012, compared with the same month the previous year.

A total of 640,891 passengers passed through the airport in November, according to the latest statistics from Kuwait’s directorate general of civil aviation.  

Aircraft movements, which includes take-offs and arrivals of aircraft, fell 10 per cent in November, compared with the same month in 2011. There were a total of 6,639 aircraft movements recorded.

However, freight volumes increased slightly by one per cent in November year-on-year.  A total of 3,299.5 tonnes of freight was transported in November last year.

Kuwait’s November statistics buck the broader trend across the Middle East, with the Montreal-based International Air Transport Association (Iata) reporting that the region’s airline passenger demand grew 10 per cent in November 2012, compared with the same month in 2011. It was the second-strongest regional growth rate worldwide.

Prior to November, passenger throughput at Kuwait International airport had been steadily growing. October saw a year-on-year increase of 15 per cent in passenger numbers, while September saw six per cent growth, compared with September 2011.