O-STA

Fraport Traffic Figures - October 2004: October Traffic Growth Results in New Record Figures / Almost 5 Percent More Passengers - Airfreight Tonnage Jumps 14.5 Percent

Frankfurt/Main, Germany (ots) - During October 2004 Fraport AG recorded strong growth in almost all traffic categories at its Frankfurt Airport (FRA) home base. Passenger traffic, airfreight tonnage and aircraft movements reached new record levels. In the reporting month, more than 4.8 million passengers used Frankfurt Airport - the strongest October in the airport's history. In comparison to the previous year, this represents a 4.9 percent increase.

Due to the autumn school-vacation period, there was strong demand for destinations throughout the Mediterranean region. Traffic to eastern Europe also continued to grow, as did intercontinental connections - for example, traffic to the Far East, South America and North Africa.

Increasing by 14.5 percent to 163,458 metric tons, airfreight tonnage at Germany's largest airport grew even faster than passenger traffic in October 2004. Never before in the history of Frankfurt Airport has so much airfreight tonnage been handled in a single month. FRA achieved a new daily record on October 31, when some 7,616 metric tons of airfreight were handled. Expansion in freight traffic was particularly strong to Latin America, North Africa, and southeastern Europe. Airmail tonnage declined by 7.5 percent due to service reductions in the so-called overnight domestic airmail network based at FRA. In contrast, Frankfurt Airport experienced a noticeable 5.4 percent increase in aircraft movements during October 2004, with 42,367 takeoffs and landings registered. As a result, the number of aircraft movements climbed to a new monthly record. Maximum takeoff weights (MTOWs), which are relevant for airport charges, increased 9.9 percent versus the same month last year to 2,457,000 metric tons.

For the January-to-October 2004 nine-month period, Frankfurt Airport registered a 6.2 percent rise in passenger traffic. Airfreight tonnage increased by 13.1 percent. The number of aircraft movements climbed by 3.8 percent and MTOWs grew by 7.0 percent.

The Fraport Group's six airports together served 7,782,574 passengers in October 2004, 8 percent more than in the corresponding month last year. Some 1,631,976 passengers used Turkey's Antalya Airport (AYT), representing a 20 percent increase. Lima Airport (LIM) in Peru registered 442,154 passengers, up 9.8 percent. Frankfurt-Hahn Airport (HHN), the booming low-cost airport located in the Hunsrück region west of Frankfurt, served 259,079 passengers in the reporting month, an increase of 11 percent. Also in Germany, Hanover Airport (HAJ) welcomed 585,373 passengers (up 3 percent) and Saarbrücken Airport (SCN) 49,772 passengers (down 5.8 percent).

Cargo volume (airfreight and airmail combined) for the Fraport Group grew 12.6 percent to 208,373 metric tons in October 2004. The number of aircraft movements rose 6.4 percent to 68,822 takeoffs and landings.

Frankfurt Airport's Traffic Figures - October 2004

Oct.2004Change(2)Oct. 04/Oct. 03Jan.-Oct.2004Change(2)Jan.-Oct.04/03
Passengers(1)4,815,4434.9 %43,634,8586.2 %
Airfreight(1)in metric ons163,45814.5 %1,434,79013 .1 %
Airmail in metric tons10,018-7.5 %95,388-7.0 %
Aircraft Movements(3)42,3675.4 %400,4343.8 %
MTOWs(3) in metric tons2,457,0209.9 %22,822,7587.0 %
Punctuality share of punctual arrivals and departures in percent74.877.8

(1) Total traffic (arrivals + departures + transit, incl. general aviation)

(2) Change over previous year

(3) Excluding military flights

Fraport Group - Traffic Figures for October 2004

AirportsPassengers1) AbsoluteChange in %Air-freight in metric tons (incl.Airmail)Change in %Air-craftMove-ments absoluteChange in %
Frankfurt (FRA)4,814,2204.9170,56112.642,3675.4
Antalya(2) (AYT)1,631,97620.0n.a.n.a.9,57520.4
Frankfurt-Hahn(3) (HHN)259,07911.019,12430.22,90615.5
Hanover (HAJ)585,3733.01,3571.46,5832.7
Lima (LIM)442,1549.817,323-0.96,049-3.4
Saarbrücken (SCN)49,772-5.88-85.51,342-1.7
Fraport Group7,782,5748.0208,37312.668,8226.4

(1) Passengers (commercial traffic: arrivals + departures + transit)

(2) International passengers and movements only

(3) Hahn cargo (incl. cargo transported by truck)