Malta International Airport plc - June Traffic Results & Revised Forecast

On 15 July, Malta International Airport plc announced the June 2010 traffic statistics. Following the 19.3% increase in May, the airport operator registered another 19.3% rise in passenger movements during June representing an increase of 53,512 passenger movements. For the first six months of 2010 passenger movements reached 1,380,828, representing a 10.3% increase over the comparable period last year. This growth in passenger numbers was mainly due to the 8.5% increase in the seat capacity and the strengthening of the average seat load factor from 65.9% in the first half of 2008 to 66.9% during the period under review.

Given the positive results achieved so far, MIA is raising its passenger forecast for the second time this year. The Company first increased its forecast in March from the initial 3% to 6% which is now being raised to 8%. This increased passenger growth should result in total passenger movements of 3.15 million in 2010 – a new record high for MIA. surpassing the recent record high of 3.11 million passenger movements in 2008.

During a press conference held this afternoon, MIA CEO Mr Julian Jaeger explained that some of the new routes which started this summer will also continue during the winter months. The flights include those of Ryanair to Bournemouth (UK), Leeds-Bradford (UK), Billund (Denmark), Krakow (Poland), Bologna (Italy), Seville (Spain), Marseille (France), Valencia (Spain); Bmibaby to East Midlands (UK) ; Easyjet to Rome Fiumicino (Italy), Milan Malpensa (Italy) and Liverpool (UK). The CEO also revealed that Easyjet will start operating a flight to Belfast (Northern Ireland) from February 2011.

Download a copy of the MIA Half-Year 2010 Passenger Numbers Presentation