Atlantans on the Move: Origin and Destination Traffic Up

FEATURE ARTICLE

Atlantans on the Move: Origin and Destination Traffic Up
By Charisma Cannon

Georgians are on the move. At least that's what the latest statistics on Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s origin and destination traffic show.

Hartsfield-Jackson's origin and destination (O&D) traffic is defined as passengers who are either flying into Atlanta or flying out of Atlanta, as opposed to those passengers who are connecting to another flight. Hartsfield-Jackson tracks these numbers by collaborating with a number of different government agencies that regulate travel to compile the information. This year, O&D travel is up 37 percent. And, Airport officials are predicting a 38 percent increase in O&D traffic for 2007.

Airport officials theorize that there are a number of reasons why O&D traffic is on the rise. But the two main contributing factors they readily point to are the Atlanta economy and more point-to-point service by both Delta and AirTran. Eric Anderson, senior market research analyst for Hartsfield-Jackson said, "Because Atlanta is becoming a major player in the global economy, more Atlantans are using air travel to conduct, enhance and expand their daily business." Anderson also speculates that more businesses are choosing to call Atlanta home or expanding their operations here than ever before.

Ben DeCosta, airport general manager, concurs with Anderson. "Atlanta is at a pivotal juncture in the history of its growth. We have a new brand and a Mayor who is aggressively courting businesses to consider calling Atlanta home for operations. Those two factors are paving the way for Atlanta businesses to cross the threshold into more opportunities."

More robust and exotic international destinations may also account for the increase in O&D traffic as well. Alrene Barr, chief management analyst, thinks Delta Air Lines' new expanded international routes could keep O&D traffic up for some time. "The world is now accessible to Atlantans, and they're taking advantage of it," she said.

Whatever the reasons for the increase, O&D traffic appears to be on the rise for several years ahead. For more information regarding O&D traffic and international route expansion, contact the Marketing and Business Development division at (404) 209-2945 ext. 2330.