FORECASTING PASSENGER TRAFFIC FOR A REGIONAL AIRPORT

The purpose of the present research is estimating the potential traffic for SIA (Sibiu International Airport, SBZ) for the year 2017. Predicting as accurate as possible the passenger traffic for a certain airport is an aspect of major importance for both the airport management and the airline companies. The theoretical quality of the forecasting models for air traffic of passengers is fundamental for obtaining the most accurate predictions. In this regard, a two-step process was used in developing the traffic forecasting model: (1) Identifying the proper regression model for traffic estimation based on the number of aircraft departures, and (2) Forecasting the number of aircraft departures for the current routes operated SIA. The predicted total passenger traffic overestimates the actual total traffic with only 2.4% and the actual total traffic without the transit traffic with only 1.42%.