US airports have most ultra-long-haul flights in 2010, but emerging economies may shape the future

As expected, Asian and Gulf airports performed best in 2010, according to Airports Council International (ACI) rankings of the world’s busiest airports, although there was some shift in relative standings. The 2010 ACI statistics provide clues as to the “busy-ness” of airports, but they don’t reveal the full nature of the business done there, or of the networks that they provide. US gateways rank surprisingly highly in ultra long haul sectors, while the Gulf airports show plenty of room for expansion - but finding the routes may take time.