CAAC: Flyers grows by 4.7 percent last year

The Civil Aviation Administration of China released 2008 figures on airport productivity. All airports combined handled more than 4 billion passengers, representing a growth of 4.7 percent over the year before. The growth stemmed from domestic flights, which carried 5.3 percent more passengers than in 2007, whereas international flights saw 4.4 percent fewer passengers.
The total volume of domestic freight transported stood at 88.3 million tons, sporting a growth of 2.6 percent from 2007. Overseas cargoes was at 32 million tons, growing by as much over the previous year. The number of take-offs and landings jumped up 7.2 percent over 2007 to 42 million, led by an 8 percent surge in those within the country. Increase in internationals trailed at 2 percent.