FRANKFURT, Germany, January 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Passenger Traffic Grows for the Entire Year

Despite a Weak December - International Airport

Portfolio Continues to Develop Successfully

Fraport AG achieved a record 57.5 million passengers (up 1.9 percent) at its Frankfurt Airport (FRA) home base, during what was characterized as a tumultuous year for the aviation industry. Even the weaker December 2012 reporting month (down 6.3 percent to about 4 million compared to December 2011) did not affect the positive overall result for the entire year.  "The airline industry in Europe finds itself in a difficult economic situation. High fuel prices, the burden of the national aviation tax, and weak demand, particularly in Southern Europe, require capacity adjustments. In this environment, Frankfurt Airport with its new passenger record performed very well," said Fraport AG executive board chairman Dr. Stefan Schulte.

In the cargo sector, the airport operator reported a 6.7 percent decrease year-on-year to about 2.1 million metric tons for 2012. In December 2012, FRA registered a slight 1.5 percent decline in airfreight to 174,590 metric tons. "The weak global economy has played a crucial role in the development of the cargo market. But this negative trend has been slowing with the decline in cargo tonnage reduced significantly by the end of the year. Thus, the trend is now continuing in the right direction," explained Schulte.

Various strikes, coupled with about 3,350 flight cancelations at FRA, the noticeable cancelation of cargo flights in response to the general economic crisis, the high reduction of passenger flights during the winter timetable, as well as the use of larger aircraft such as the A380 superjumbo contributed to a slight decline in aircraft movements: with 482,242 takeoffs and landings handled in 2012 - a one percent decrease compared to the previous year.  During the last month of 2012 the number of aircraft movements at Frankfurt Airport reached 34,425 - 10.2 percent below the figure of December 2011. However, due to the reduction in flight movements the seat load factor rose by nearly two percent year-on-year to a new December record of 73.8 percent. Accumulated MTOWs (maximum takeoff weights) for the year 2012 slipped by 1.2 percent to about 29 million metric tons, including 2.1 million metric tons in the reporting month of December 2012 (down 6.8 percent compared to December 2011).

Fraport's five majority-owned Group airports recorded growth for the full year 2012 and served a total of 99.4 million passengers - up 2.9 percent year-on-year.  With about 13.3 million passengers, Peru's Lima Airport (LIM) achieved particularly robust growth of 13 percent in 2012.  Fraport's airports on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria also advanced their annual passenger figures:  Burgas (BOJ) welcomed about 2.4 million (up 5.6 percent) and Varna (VAR) received 1.2 million (up 3.4 percent).  With nearly 25 million passengers in 2012, Antalya Airport (AYT) on the Turkish Riviera maintained its strong traffic performance of the previous year.  

ANR 1/2013> January 15, 2013

Fraport Group Traffic Figures - Full Year 2012 (January to December)

                                      Cargo in
                                       metric               Aircraft
                 Passengers(1) Change tons abs.  Change    Movements   Change                                     
    Airports       absolute     in %  (+airmail)   in %     absolute     in %
    Frankfurt
    (FRA)         57,520,001    1.9   2,066,431    -6.7      482,242     -1.0
    Antalya
    (AYT)         24,954,422    0.0        n.a.    n.a.      159,253     -2.7
    Burgas
    (BOJ)(3)       2,380,536    5.6       2,281   -61.9       18,856     -1.9
    Lima (LIM)(2) 13,324,379   13.0     293,675     2.5      148,325      9.8
    Varna (VAR)(3) 1,221,468    3.4          33   -18.3       10,739     -4.7
    Fraport
    Group         99,400,806    2.9   2,362,421    -5.8      819,415      0.4

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

2. Figures provided by LIM

3. VAR was closed from 15.10.2011 to 28.02.2012; during this period  flights to/from VAR were handled by BOJ.

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ANR 1/2013> January 15, 2013

Fraport Group Traffic Figures - December 2012

                                      Cargo in
                                       metric               Aircraft
                 Passengers(1) Change tons abs.  Change    Movements   Change                                   
    Airports       absolute     in %  (+airmail)    in %    absolute     in %
    Frankfurt
    (FRA)          3,978,620    -6.3   171,571      -1.6      34,425    -10.2
    Antalya
    (AYT)            559,439    -0.5      n.a.      n.a.       4,817     -2.3
    Burgas
    (BOJ)(3)          13,068   -45.0       280     -63.7         280    -46.4
    Lima (LIM)(2)  1,141,298    15.9    30,451      11.4      13,010     11.8
    Varna (VAR)(3)    18,578       -         2         -         282        -
    Fraport
    Group          5,711,003    -1.8   202,303      -0.1      52,814     -4.7

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

2. Figures provided by LIM

3. VAR was closed from 15.10.2011 to 28.02.2012; during this period  flights to/from VAR were handled by BOJ.

ANR 1/2013 - January 15, 2013

Frankfurt Airport's Traffic Figures -Dec. 2012 & Full Year 2012

                                   Change(2)                     Change(2)
                                    Dec. 12/    Jan. - Dec.    Jan. - Dec.
                       Dec. 2012    Dec. 11         2012         2012/2011
     Passengers (1)    3,979,285     -6.3 %      57,527,251          1.9 %
     Airfreight (1) 
      in metric tons     165,971     -1.2 %       2,020,367         -6.9 %
     Airmail (1)
      in metric tons       8,619     -6.7 %          80,380         -2.3 %
     Aircraft Movements   34,425    -10.2 %         482,242         -1.0 %
     MTOWs
      in metric tons   2,137,799     -6.8 %      28,912,800         -1.2 %
     Punctuality
      share of punctual
      arrivals and 
      departures in
      percent               71.9                       81.5

1. Total traffic (arrivals + departures + transit)

2. Change over previous year

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For Further Information, Please Contact:

Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide

Robert A. Payne, B.A.A. - International Spokesman and Head of International Press/PR & External Activities Team, Press Office (UKM-PS), Corporate Communications, 60547 Frankfurt, Germany; Tel.: +49-69-690-78547; E-mail: r.payne@fraport.de; Internet: http://www.fraport.com

SOURCE Fraport AG