2/12/2008

New record for Munich Airport: Total passenger volume rises to 34 million in 2007

Munich Airport is a giant among European airports in terms of growth: With the biggest passenger increase in its history - a gain of 3.2 million - the airport ramped up its passenger volume to a new record level of approximately 34 million in 2007. This represents a 10.4 percent increase over the previous year. Among Europe’s Top 10 airports, only Madrid achieved a faster growth rate.

The booming traffic figures were also reflected in the airport’s business results: After depreciation and taxes, FMG, the Munich Airport operating company, preliminary figures show after-tax earnings of approximately 45 million euros. Total revenues amounted to approximately 793 million euros. In terms of the entire FMG Group - in other words including the subsidiaries - total revenues actually topped the 1 billion euro mark for the first time.

Thanks to the above-average traffic growth again last year Munich Airport solidified its hold on seventh place in the rankings of Europe’s busiest airports. In the global ranking Munich also moved up again, rising from 30th to 28th. “With this performance, the Munich hub has stepped up the speed of its rapid rise in the rankings of the global air transportation hubs. This is a substantial boost to our economy and especially for employment and prosperity in Bavaria,” said FMG CEO, Dr. Michael Kerkloh, at the annual press conference.

The number of take-offs and landings at Munich Airport increased 5 percent to more than 432,000. For the fourth time in a row the freight segment finished the year with double-digit growth rates. This time the tonnage of flown airfreight increased 12 percent to more than 251,000 metric tons. Counting the volume declared as airfreight but transported by truck, the freight volume during the past business year totaled more than 450,000 metric tons.

A factor guaranteeing Munich Airport's continued growth is the appealing range of destinations offered in the intercontinental and European segments. In 2007, there was an increase of approximately 17 percent in the number of passengers traveling on long-haul flights, which are vitally important to Bavaria’s economic competitiveness. This was a much stronger gain than in the previous year. With 2 million more passengers than in 2006, the European segment also achieved double-digit growth last year while solidifying Munich’s status as a springboard to Eastern Europe. The number of passengers and routes between the Munich hub and Eastern European destinations was up by one quarter. Growth in domestic traffic, at 7 percent, was lower than the overall rate.

The aircraft operated by airlines at Munich Airport were more heavily booked in 2007 than ever before: Because growth in the total passenger volume was stronger than the rise in the number of seats offered for the sixth consecutive year, the airport set yet another record for the average load factor: As compared with 2006, the average load factor in each aircraft was up 1.7 percentage points to 73.4 percent. This is even more remarkable in view of the fact that airlines have been continually increasing the size of the aircraft used on Munich routes for several years. In 2007 the average take-off weight (MTOM) of aircraft on scheduled and charter flights was 2.6 metric tons heavier than in the previous year.

Munich Airport handled an average of 93,000 passengers a day in the year under review. A new single-day record of 122,241 was set on September 28, 2007. The airfreight segment also reported a new record: On Friday, September 21, 2007, the single-day freight turnover at Munich Airport, at 1130 metric tons, topped 1000 metric tons for the first time ever.

2007 was without doubt the most successful year in the history of Munich Airport," said Kerkloh. "Our growth rates in terms of total passengers and aircraft movements were well above the average annual increases indicated in the long-term forecast that comprises the basis of our long-term planning.
Once again we have confirmation of the experience that has become a hard and fast rule: Munich Airport grows faster than every forecast,” said Kerkloh, summing up the airport’s performance in 2007. 

Source: Invest in Bavaria