MONTERREY, Mexico, May 9, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Mexican airport operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte, S.A.B. de C.V., known as OMA, reports that total passenger traffic (terminal passengers) at its 13 airports increased 5.9% in April 2008, as compared to April 2007.
Domestic traffic in April 2008 increased 8.3% (+79,021 passengers), compared to the prior year period. The airports that reported the most significant growth in passenger traffic were Reynosa, Monterrey, Juarez, San Luis Potosi, Acapulco, and Chihuahua, supported by the opening of new routes during the month. The airports in Zihuatanejo, Torreon, Mazatlan, and Zacatecas registered significant reductions, as a result of lower load factors and the cancellation of frequencies and routes by some airlines. On April 14, Avolar ceased operations in the airports of Culiacan, Durango, and Zacatecas, while Alma stopped operating in Zihuatanejo.
International traffic decreased 5.2% (-10,593 passengers) in April 2008, as compared to April 2007. Airports in tourist destinations (Acapulco, Mazatlan, and Zihuatanejo) and airports in Durango, Zacatecas, Culiacan, and Torreon recorded reductions in international passengers, as a result of a reduction in scheduled international flights, principally by U.S. carriers.
Total Passengers*
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(Thousand) Apr-07 Apr-08 Change % Jan-Apr Jan-Apr Change %
2007 2008
Domestic 952.2 1,031.2 8.3 3,502.0 3,983.6 13.8
International 202.6 192.0 (5.2) 1,013.0 986.0 (2.7)
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OMA Total 1,154.8 1,223.3 5.9 4,514.9 4,969.6 10.1
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* Terminal passengers: excludes transit passengers
It should be noted that last year the Easter holiday period took place in April, while in 2008 it occurred in March.
By airport
Monterrey, OMA's principal airport, served 575,205 passengers in April 2008, an increase of 11.2% (+58,031 passengers) compared to the same month of 2007. Domestic traffic at Monterrey airport increased 13.7% as a result of the effect of the growing volume of passengers served by the new airlines, principally on the routes to and from Mexico City, Toluca, Villahermosa, and Chihuahua. International traffic decreased 3.2% as a result of reduced passenger volume on the Houston and Dallas routes.
Traffic in the cities on the U.S. border, Reynosa and Ciudad Juarez grew 85.5% and 13.2%, respectively. The airlines that started operations in these airports in 2007 contributed significantly to their growth, with the opening of routes and increases in frequencies. In particular, Volaris opened a route between Reynosa and Toluca on April 14.
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 900 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.
This communication 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 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.