The Nigerian Aviation Sector report for the second quarter of 2015 released over the weekend by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that 1,048,598 passengers travelled abroad by air in the second quarter, translating into 27.93 percent drop from the number recorded at the first quarter of the year.

The NBS reported that domestic travel showed a marginal leap quarter on quarter, with 16,752 or 0.71 per cent more passengers traveling in the second quarter.

The report revealed that 2,374,479 passengers travelled domestically by air in the second quarter, representing 69.37 per cent of the total number of passengers that travelled by air in the period.

Analysis revealed that the total number of people that travelled by air within the period both domestically and internationally was up by 7.53 per cent points from the preceding quarter and yet down 1.35 per cent points from second quarter of last year.

The NBS reported that the only airports to record positive year on year growth were Katsina, increasing by 668 passengers or 319.62 per cent, Owerri, which increased by 9,243 passengers or 11.12 percent and Yola, increasing by 1,121 passengers or 3.09 percent.

The report showed that at 728,064 passengers, 69.43 percent t of all internationally bound passengers traveled through Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport in the period.