OMA Reports July 2011 Passenger Traffic

MONTERREY, Mexico, Aug. 9, 2011 (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 0.9% in July 2011, as compared to July 2010. Domestic traffic increased 0.3%, and international traffic decreased 8.0%.

Of total July traffic, 97.2% was commercial aviation and 2.8% was general aviation.

Domestic traffic increased in six airports in July, with the most noteworthy increases in Monterrey (+4.1%), Tampico (+18.9%), Ciudad Juarez (+9.2%), and Torreon (+10.4%). In Monterrey, traffic increased principally on the Cancun, Mexico City, and Toluca routes. In Tampico, traffic increased on the Mexico City and Monterrey routes. In Ciudad Juarez, traffic increased on the Mexico City route. In Torreon, traffic increased on the route to Mexico City. It should be noted that during the month, routes opened between Monterrey and Chicago, Brownsville, San Jose del Cabo, and Mexico City. Traffic decreased most at the airports in Acapulco (-19.0%), Chihuahua (-12.5%), Zihuatanejo (-15.0%), and Zacatecas (-16.5%). In Acapulco, the reduction was primarily on the Mexico City and Guadalajara routes. In Chihuahua, the reduction was on the Toluca and Guadalajara routes. The reduction in Zihuatanejo was on the Mexico City route. The reduction in Zacatecas was on the Tijuana and Mexico City routes.

International traffic increased most significantly in Mazatlan (+86%), principally because of the start of operations of a route to Dallas. The greatest decreases were recorded in Acapulco (-53.7%), Zacatecas (-45.0%), Zihuatanejo (-29.2%), and Monterrey (-2.8%).  Acapulco traffic decreased most on the Houston route. Zacatecas traffic decreased most on the Chicago and Los Angeles routes. Zihuatanejo traffic decreased principally on the Houston and Los Angeles routes. Monterrey traffic decreased most on the New York and Chicago routes.

The total number of flight operations (takeoffs and landings) in July decreased 6.8% as compared to the prior year period. Domestic flights decreased 6.5%, and international flights decreased 8.8%.

The full 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 also operates a hotel and commercial areas inside Terminal 2 of the Mexico City airport. OMA employs over 1,000 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 9001:2008. 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). For more information, please visit us at:

• Website: http://www.oma.aero
   
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