[zU8KbeIU]

Thailand's Suvarnabhumi was one of six airports in Asia Pacific that achieved double-digit growth last year, spurred by robust economic activity and the rising propensity for travel in the region.

The highest growth in passenger traffic was at New Delhi (DEL), up 21%, with Jakarta (CGK) gaining 19%, Suvarnabhumi (BKK) increased 12% and Guangzhou (CAN), Singapore (SIN) and Kuala Lumpur (KUL) each up 10%.

Beijing (PEK), which handled more than 77 million passengers in 2011, is the busiest airport in the region and takes second place in the world behind Atlanta (ATL) in the United States.

The other four airports in the region with the most passenger traffic were Tokyo Haneda (HND), Hong Kong (HKG), Jakarta (CGK) and Dubai (DXB), according to Airports Council International (ACI).

Last year's regional passenger traffic hit 1.43 billion, representing a 5.7% increase for the Asia-Pacific area and an 8.4% rise for the Middle East when compared with 2010 levels.

Combined freight traffic carried in these two areas of the region amounted to 35.8 million tonnes in 2011, or 41% of the world's freight traffic as recorded by ACI.

Hong Kong (HKG) continued to be the busiest cargo airport in the world, followed closely by Memphis (MEM) and Shanghai Pudong (PVG).

The other three busiest airports in the region by freight traffic were Seoul Incheon (ICN), Dubai (DXB) and Tokyo Narita (NRT).