MONTERREY, Mexico, Jan. 11, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mexican airport operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte, S.A.B. de C.V., known as OMA (Nasdaq:OMAB) (BMV:OMA), reports that terminal passenger traffic at its 13 airports decreased 9.9% in December 2009, as compared to December 2008. Domestic traffic decreased 10.5%, and international traffic decreased 7.4%.
Of total traffic, 97.0% was commercial aviation, and 3.0% was general aviation.
Total Passengers*
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Jan-Dec Jan-Dec
Dec-08 Dec-09 Change% 2008 2009 Change%
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Domestic 881,543 789,243 (10.5) 11,732,824 9,712,183 (17.2)
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International 183,711 170,044 (7.4) 2,327,839 1,806,105 (22.4)
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OMA Total 1,065,254 959,287 (9.9) 14,060,663 11,518,288 (18.1)
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* Terminal passengers: includes passengers on the three types of
aviation (commercial, charter, and general aviation), and excludes
passengers in transit.
Domestic traffic grew at four airports: Culiacan, +11.4%;, Durango, +11.2%; Reynosa, +5.5%, and San Luis Potosi, +4.0%. Culiacan traffic benefited from the performance of VivaAerobus, Interjet, and Grupo Aeromexico. General aviation and Grupo Aeromexico drove growth in Durango. In Reynosa, growth resulted from the VivaAerobus route to Veracruz, while in San Luis Potosi, Aeromar was the growth driver.
These factors were offset principally by the suspension of Aviacsa (suspended since July 6, 2009) and the reduction in traffic on Interjet, Grupo Mexicana, and Magnicharter. The Monterrey, Acapulco, Tampico, and Ciudad Juarez airports had the largest traffic reductions.
International traffic recorded growth at the Mazatlan, Zacatecas, Durango, and Chihuahua aiports, principally. The Mazatlan airport benefited from an increase in passengers carried by US Airways and charter carriers. Zacatecas reflected increases in passenger traffic on the Los Angeles and Chicago routes. Durango and Chihuahua benefited from the performance of Grupo Aeromexico.
The airports that had had the largest reductions in international passenger traffic were Monterrey and Acapulco. The suspension of Aviacsa continued to affect traffic, as well as a reduction in passenger traffic to and from Houston.
The total number of flight operations (takeoffs and landings) in the month increased 1.5% as compared to the prior year period.
The complete traffic report is available at http://ir.oma.aero.
This press release may contain forward-looking information and statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and projections about future events. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "target," or similar expressions. While OMA's management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the control of OMA, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those discussed in our most recent annual report filed on Form 20-F under the caption "Risk Factors." OMA undertakes no obligation to publicly update its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
About OMA
Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte, S.A.B. de C.V., known as OMA, operates 13 international airports in nine states of central and northern Mexico. OMA's airports serve Monterrey, Mexico's third largest metropolitan area, the tourist destinations of Acapulco, Mazatlan, and Zihuatanejo, and nine other regional centers and border cities. OMA employs over 950 persons in order to offer passengers and clients, airport and commercial services in facilities that comply with all applicable international safety, security standards, and ISO 9001:2000. OMA's strategic shareholder members are ICA, Mexico's largest engineering, procurement, and construction company, and Aeroports de Paris Management, subsidiary of Aeroports de Paris, the second largest European airports operator. OMA is listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange (OMA) and on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (OMAB). Please visit our website, www.oma.aero.