European airport body sees signs of slow recovery

BRUSSELS, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Airports body ACI Europe reported signs on Thursday that airport traffic would slowly recover in the winter ahead, with low-cost airlines at the fore.

"Preliminary figures for October confirm a trend towards a slow and gradual traffic recovery in the winter, mainly driven by low cost airlines," it said in a statement.

ACI Europe also tweaked upwards its overall forecast for traffic decline in 2009.

Passenger traffic is now seen down by 7 percent throughout the year, compared to a previous forecast of an 8 percent fall.

Freight traffic is now seen down by 15 percent, compared to a previous forecast of an 16 percent fall.

(Reporting by Pete Harrison; Editing by Jon Loades-Carter)

((pete.harrison@thomsonreuters.com; Reuters messaging: pete.harrison.reuters.com@reuters.net; +322 287 6843)) Keywords: EU AVIATION/RECOVERY

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