[Montague S]

PERTH has experienced the biggest growth in air passenger numbers travelling into WA, with a 17 per cent jump during the course of 2007.

Overall, Perth had 10 per cent of passenger numbers around the country -- but the increased airline passenger numbers may be hard to repeat as the nation's biggest airline cuts it services, due to soaring fuel costs.

A record number of international passengers passed through Australian airports last year, new data shows.

Just a day after Qantas announced significant cuts in its international services, Transport Minister Anthony Albanese released a report from the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics, which showed passenger traffic at record levels in 2007.

Mr Albanese said in a statement that the number of international arrivals and departures rose six per cent last year to almost 22.8 million, the biggest number in a calendar year.

``Despite global economic uncertainties and rising oil prices, Australia remains a favourite destination of overseas travellers, and the desire of Australians to holiday and do business abroad remains strong,'' he said.

In additional to passenger traffic, airports also handled 760,000 tonnes of freight.

Mr Albanese said a major challenge was to accommodate the growing numbers at airports, with many at capacity during peak periods.

``If Australia is to continue reaping the economic and social benefits of international air travel we need to plan ahead, particularly given many of our major airports are already close to capacity during peak periods,'' he said.

The report showed that passengers numbers had the biggest growth in Perth, where they jumped 17 per cent over the year.

Overall, Perth had 10 per cent of passenger numbers around the country.

Sydney had the largest share of international arrivals and departures at 45.6 per cent, followed by Melbourne with 20 per cent and Brisbane 17.2 per cent.

The report found that the market share enjoyed by Australian airlines has fallen substantially over the last decade.

The proportion of the market carried by Australian airlines fell from from 43 per cent in 1997 to 33 per cent in 2007, it found.

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/stor...35-948,00.html

bloody mining boom!