MONTERREY, Mexico, April 9, 2012 (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 increased 7.4% in March 2012, as compared to March 2011. Domestic traffic increased 8.3%, and international traffic increased 3.5%.
Of total March traffic, 96.8% was commercial aviation and 3.2% was general aviation.
| Total Passengers* | ||||||
| Mar-11 | Mar-12 | Change % | Jan-Mar 2011 | Jan-Mar 2012 | Change % | |
| Domestic | 797,318 | 863,803 | 8.3 | 2,160,408 | 2,377,955 | 10.1 |
| International | 181,266 | 187,639 | 3.5 | 531,158 | 517,740 | (2.5) |
| OMA Total | 978,584 | 1,051,442 | 7.4 | 2,691,566 | 2,895,695 | 7.6 |
* Terminal passengers: includes passengers on the three types of aviation (commercial, charter, and general aviation), and excludes passengers in transit.
Domestic traffic increased in twelve airports in March, with the most noteworthy increases in Monterrey (+5.7%), Tampico (+23.3%), Chihuahua (+14.0%), Ciudad Juárez (+14.5%), Reynosa (+47.3%), and Culiacán (+7.1%). In Monterrey, traffic increased principally on the routes to Mexico City and Cancún. The Tampico, Chihuahua, and Reynosa airports increased traffic on the Mexico City routes. Ciudad Juárez traffic increased on the routes to Mexico City and Guadalajara. In Culiacán, traffic increased on the Tijuana and Guadalajara routes. Three domestic routes opened in March: Aeroméxico opened Monterrey-Cancún, VivaAerobus opened Reynosa-Mexico City, and Aeromar opened Tampico-Ciudad Victoria.
International traffic increased most significantly in Monterrey (+22.4%) and San Luis Potosi (+57.0%). In Monterrey, traffic benefited from the increase in passengers on the routes to San Antonio, Dallas, and Panama. San Luis Potosi traffic increased on the Houston route. The largest decreases were recorded in Acapulco (-50.1%) and Mazatlán (-5.0%). The reductions in Acapulco took place on the Houston and Dallas routes. In Mazatlán, the reductions occurred on the routes to Houston, Denver, and Calgary. Two international routes opened in March: Continental (United) opened Durango-Los Angeles and Magnicharter opened Monterrey-Las Vegas.
The total number of flight operations (takeoffs and landings) in March 2012 increased 1.0% as compared to the prior year period. Domestic flights increased 0.9%, and international flights increased 1.2%.
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, Mazatlán, and Zihuatanejo, and nine other regional centers and border cities. OMA also operates a hotel 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 Aéroports de Paris Management, subsidiary of Aéroports 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
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/OMAeropuertos
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/OMA/137924482889484.