Fraport Traffic Figures - March 2005: FRA Remains on Growth Track
March Figures Balance Out Winter Losses - Group�'s Airports Enjoy Continued Growth
Frankfurt Airport�'s (FSE:FRA) traffic growth continued in March 2005, when about 4.2 million passengers used the FRA global hub - an increase of 1.8 percent compared to the corresponding month last year. Airfreight tonnage grew at an even faster rate, climbing 4.9 percent to 161,856 metric tons in the reporting month. Taking into account the underlying high base figures last year, March 2005 can be considered a very satisfying month.
In the first quarter of 2005, passenger traffic at Frankfurt Airport grew by 0.5 percent to 11.3 million - despite the record figures of the 2004 base year and the long and snowy winter around the world. Airfreight at FRA even climbed by 7.3 percent to 436,365 metric tons.
The growth in flight operations can be attributed primarily to the Easter holidays and the school spring break falling already in March this year. FRA even achieved a new historical daily record for the month of March, when more than 164,000 passengers were served on March 18. Airfreight also registered a record day on March 20, when FRA handled some 7,800 metric tons - the second highest daily figure in Frankfurt Airport�'s history.
As expected, FRA recorded fewer passengers after the Easter weekend. The "missing" production days at the end of March also made a noticeable impact on airfreight activity.
Like in the previous months, FRA�'s airmail traffic registered a decline dropping as planned by 16.4 percent to 8,957 metric tons. The number of aircraft movements increased by 3.1 percent to 40,470, while the MTOWs (Maximum Takeoff Weights) climbed 5.6 percent to 2.3 million metric tons - the share of widebody jets at FRA continued to grow noticeably.
The Fraport Group�'s six airports also reported growth in passenger and airfreight traffic for March 2005: A combined total of about six million passengers represented an increase of 6.1 percent versus the same month last year. Antalya and Frankfurt-Hahn airports made the strongest contribution here. With 574,378 passengers, Antalya Airport (AYT) in Turkey registered enormous growth of 42.3 percent. With 248,078 passengers, Frankfurt-Hahn Airport (HHN) also achieved double-digit growth of 16.4 percent in the reporting month. Likewise, Lima Airport (LIM) in Peru continued to grow. Some 478,880 passengers used this South American hub, 14 percent more compared to the same month last year.
Cargo volume for the Fraport Group increased by 3.3 percent to 198,369 metric tons. Besides Fraport�'s home base at FRA - Europe�'s leading air cargo gateway - Frankfurt-Hahn and Lima airports accounted for the largest share of total tonnage. Lima registered double-digit growth of about 11 percent, reaching 12,234 metric tons. The number of aircraft movements for the Group grew by 3.3 percent to 61,707 takeoffs and landings in March 2005.
During the first quarter a total of 15.7 million passengers used the Group�'s airports. This represents an increase of 3.3 percent on the same period last year. Cargo tonnage rose by 5.7 percent to 543,152 metric tons from January to March 2005. Aircraft movements remained unchanged at 167,600, an increase of 0.8 percent.
Frankfurt Airport�'s Traffic Figures - March 2005
| March 2005 | Change 2 March 05/ March 04 | Jan.-March 2005 | Change 2 Jan.-March 05/04 | |
| Passengers(1) | 4,182,878 | 1.8 % | 11,342,213 | 0.5 % |
| Airfreight(1) in metric tons | 161,856 | 4.9 % | 436,365 | 7.3 % |
| Airmail in metric tons | 8,957 | -16.4 % | 27,004 | -14.3 % |
| Aircraft Movements (3) | 40,470 | 3.1 % | 114,474 | 2.1 % |
| MTOWs (3) in metric tons | 2,326,313 | 5.6 % | 6,534,875 | 4.5 % |
| Punctuality share of punctual arrivals and departures in percent | 75.5 | 71.9 |
(1) Total traffic (arrivals + departures + transit, incl.
general aviation)
(2) Change over previous year
(3) Excluding military flights
Fraport Group - Traffic Figures for March 2005
| Airports | Passengers(1) absolute | Change in % | Airfreight in metric tons (incl. Airmail) | Change in % |
| Frankfurt (FRA) | 4,182,239 | 1.8 | 167,988 | 3.6 |
| Antalya(2) (AYT) | 574,378 | 42.3 | n.a. | n.a. |
| Frankfurt-Hahn(3) (HHN) | 248,078 | 16.4 | 16,692 | -3.8 |
| Hanover (HAJ) | 460,187 | 1.3 | 1,454 | 4.8 |
| Lima (LIM) | 478,880 | 14.0 | 12,234 | 10.8 |
| Saarbrücken (SCN) | 27,845 | -2.3 | 2 | 0.0 |
| Fraport Group | 5,971,607 | 6.1 | 198,369 | 3.3 |
Fraport Group - Traffic Figures for March 2005
| Airports | Aircraft Movements absolute | Change in % |
| Frankfurt (FRA) | 40,470 | 3.1 |
| Antalya(2) (AYT) | 3,571 | 41.2 |
| Frankfurt-Hahn(3) (HHN) | 3,240 | 16.5 |
| Hanover (HAJ) | 7,455 | -1.1 |
| Lima (LIM) | 5,902 | -8.6 |
| Saarbrücken (SCN) | 1,069 | -11.4 |
| Fraport Group | 61,707 | 3.3 |
(1) Passengers (commercial traffic: arrivals + departures
+ transit)
(2) International passengers and movements only
(3) Frankfurt-Hahn: includes cargo transported by truck