GERMANY. Last month was Frankfurt airport’s strongest-ever February for passenger traffic with a rise of +9%. Fraport said the group’s other airports reported noticeable increases, even taking into account the extra February leap-year day (29 February).
With approximately 3.6 million passengers in February 2004, this represents another monthly record. Even without the extra day, Fraport said the upward growth trend of around +5% in recent months would have continued and would also have resulted in a record high for the month.
Intercontinental traffic, in particular, recorded above average growth. Destinations in Asia and Middle East as well as North America showed double-digit growth. Holiday destinations such as the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Sri Lanka were also in strong demand. In the first two months of 2004 overall, some 7.2 million passengers travelled via Frankfurt, a year-on-year rise of +5.5%.
Overall, the airports of the Fraport Group registered about 4.8 million passengers, +12.1% more than in February 2003. Frankfurt Hahn Airport, with about 187,600 passengers, registered an increase of +33.2%. Antalya Airport in Turkey exceeded the previous year’s figures by +34.7%, with approximately 313,300 international passengers. Hanover Airport increased by +8.6% to about 299,600 passengers and Lima Airport in Peru by +21.6% to about 394,600 passengers.
Fraport Group’s airports registered a total of 52,856 takeoffs and landings in the reporting month, +2.9% more than in February 2003 and a sign of the airlines flying fuller aircraft.
