OAG, the global travel and transport information company has conducted an historical analysis of its  data to identify the busiest new routes in September 2006.

Compared with this time last year, 2133 new routes have been launched or reinstated with a total of more than 18,000 new flight services now operating on these new routes every week. That represents 3% of the total worldwide flight schedules for September 2006.

Topping the global chart of weekly frequencies is the route between Charlotte (CLT) and Hilton Head Island (HHH) in North America with 124 flights per week. These are turboprop services operated by US Airways.

Somewhat surprisingly, the joint second busiest new route in the world is exclusively for helicopters, being the new commuter route between New York’s JFK Airport and Downtown Manhattan Heliport with 120 flights every week.

Regional rankings put North America firmly ahead, with the top five busiest new routes and seven of the top ten.

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport has 39 of the new or reinstated routes, followed by Dublin Airport with 27, London Stansted with 26 and Moscow Domodedovo with 25.

The majority of the 2000+ new routes are domestic. Internationally, the busiest routes are primarily intra-European. Leading the list is the new route between Ostrava in the Czech Republic and Vienna in Austria, with 44 new flights per week operated by Job Air.

Top 10 Busiest New Routes Overall (per schedule frequencies per week)

1. Charlotte - Hilton Head Island, USA  
2. Houston Hobby Apt - New Orleans Louis Armstrong Intl, USA
3. New York J. F. Kennedy International - New York Downtown Manhattan Heliport, USA
4. New York J. F. Kennedy International Apt - Richmond, USA
5. Dallas/Fort Worth Love Field - St Louis Lambert Intl, USA
6. Funchal - Porto Santo, Portugal
7. Dallas/Fort Worth Love Field - Kansas City Intl Apt, USA
8. Belize City Goldson Intl Apt - Caye Caulker, Belize
9. New York J F Kennedy International Apt - Portland, USA
10. Sao Paulo Congonhas Apt - Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, Brazil

Top 20 Busiest New International Routes (per schedule frequencies per week)

1. OSTRAVA, Czech Republic - VIENNA, Austria
2. AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands - MUNSTER, Germany
3. STOCKHOLD ARLANDA, Sweden - TRONDHEIM VAERNES, Norway
4. PARIS CHARLES DE GAULLE, France - EINDHOVEN, The Netherlands
5. PARIS CHARLES DE GAULLE, France - KATOWICE, Poland
6. LUXEMBOURG - MILAN MALPENSA, Italy
7. NEW YORK JFK, USA - LONDON STANSTED, UK
8. KIEV BORISPOL, Ukraine - MILAN MALPENSA, Italy
9. BRISTOL, UK - HAMBURG, Germany
10. PARIS CHARLES DE GAULLE, France - LEIPZIG/HALLE, Germany
11. GHESHM, Iran - SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates
12. LONDON GATWICK, UK - RIGA, Latvia
13. SALT LAKE CITY, USA - EDMONTON, Canada
14. HAMBURG, Germany - LONDON GATWICK, UK
15. SALT LAKE CITY, USA - TORONTO LESTER B PEARSON, Canada
16. TIMISOARA, Romania - VENICE MARCO POLO, Italy
17. AMSTERDAM, Netherlands - VALENCIA, Spain
18. LONDON GATWICK, UK - MILAN MALPENSA, Italy
19. MUNICH, Germany - PARIS ORLY, France
20. MILAN MALPENSA, Italy - STRASBOURG ENTZHEIM, France

Source: traveldailynews.com