MONTERREY, Mexico, Feb. 26, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mexican airport operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte, S.A.B. de C.V., known as OMA (Nasdaq:OMAB) (BMV:OMA), reported its unaudited, preliminary results for the fourth quarter and full year 2008 today. All comparisons are with respect to the comparable prior year periods unless stated otherwise.

During 2008, the aeronautical industry confronted an adverse global environment marked by the high price of oil, inflationary pressures on the cost of goods and services, and the global financial crisis with its drying up of credit and volatility in the financial and exchange markets. This situation has had an impact on all the participants in the industry, including airport operators, with cancellations of routes and/or reduction in flight frequencies, and the end of operations of some carriers. In OMA's fourth quarter and full year 2008 results, these factors principally affected the number of flight operations and the volume of passengers.

In this environment, OMA succeeded in increasing full year revenues and also carried out strategic investments oriented to the long-term that are designed to enable further growth of non-aeronautical revenues and to secure OMA's ability to satisfy the passenger growth potential at our airports.

Highlights

                         4Q 07   4Q 08  % Var.   2007    2008   % Var.
 Terminal passengers
  (million)               3.6     3.1   (12.8)   14.2    14.1     (1.1)
 Total revenues
  (Ps. million)           485     487     0.3   1,897   1,988      4.8
 Income from operations   159     144    (9.5)    728     687     (5.6)
 Adjusted EBITDA          269     242   (10.3)  1,064   1,054     (0.9)
 Adjusted EBITDA margin  55.5%   49.7%           56.1%   53.0%
 Income before taxes      182      97   (46.6)    817     781     (4.4)
 Net Income (loss)       (390)     47     n/a      31     542  1,637.0
 EPS* (Ps.)             (0.98)   0.12            0.08    1.37
 EPADS* (US$)           (0.57)   0.07            0.05    0.79
 Capital Expenditures     227     347             658   2,228
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 *Based on weighted average shares outstanding

 See: Notes and disclaimers

Fourth quarter 2008 (compared to the fourth quarter of 2007)

 * Passenger traffic totaled 3.1 million in the quarter, a decrease of
   12.8%. Domestic traffic decreased 11.9%; international traffic
   decreased 17.6%.
 * Total net revenues were Ps. 487 million, essentially unchanged from
   the year ago period. Aeronautical revenues decreased 0.6% and
   non-aeronautical revenues increased 4.4%.
 * Cost of services and administrative expenses rose a combined 17.8%
   to Ps. 207 million, as compared to Ps. 176 million in the same
   period of 2007. The principal factor in the increase was an
   increased provision for doubtful accounts.
 * Operating income decreased 9.5% to Ps. 144 million; the operating
   margin was 29.5%.
 * Adjusted EBITDA decreased 10.3% to Ps. 242 million, equivalent to a
   49.7% margin.
 * Net income was Ps. 47 million, as compared to a net loss in the
   prior year period resulting from Mexico's fiscal reform. Earnings
   per share were Ps. 0.12, or US$0.07 per American Depositary Share
   (ADS).
 * Capital expenditures were Ps. 347 million.
 * As part of our strategy of growing non-aeronautical revenues, OMA
   acquired an interest in the company Consorcio Grupo Hotelero T2
   that will develop and operate the hotel and 5,000 m2 of commercial
   space in Terminal 2 of the Mexico City International Airport.

Full year 2008 (compared to full year 2007)

 * Passenger traffic totaled 14.1 million in the year, a decrease of
   1.1%. Domestic traffic was essentially unchanged, and international
   traffic decreased 5.8%.
 * Total net revenues increased 4.8% to Ps. 1,988 million.
   Aeronautical revenues increased 4.3%, and non aeronautical revenues
   grew 6.8%.
 * Cost of services and administrative expenses rose a combined 14.7%
   to Ps. 777 million, as compared to Ps. 678 million in 2007.
 * Operating income decreased 5.6% to Ps. 687 million; the operating
   margin was 34.6%.
 * Adjusted EBITDA decreased 0.9% to Ps. 1,054 million, equivalent to
   a 53.0% margin.
 * Net income was Ps. 542 million, as compared to Ps. 31 million in
   the prior year period. The increase principally resulted from the
   impact of Mexico's tax reform on 2007 earnings. Earnings per share
   were Ps. 1.37, or US$0.79 per American Depositary Share (ADS).
 * Capital expenditures were Ps. 2,228 million. These investments
   include investments under the Master Development Plan, as well as
   strategic investments.
 * Cash and equivalents as of December 31, 2008 were Ps. 257 million.

OMA's complete earnings report is available at http://ir.oma.aero

OMA (Nasdaq:OMAB) (BMV:OMA) will hold a conference call on February 27, 2008 at 11:00 am EST, 10:00 am Mexico City time.

The conference call is accessible by calling (800) 762-8795 toll-free from the U.S. or +1 (480) 248-5085 from outside the U.S. The conference ID is 4004407. A taped replay will be available through March 6, 2008 at (800) 406-7325 toll free or +1 (303) 590-3030, using the same ID.

The conference call will also be available by webcast at http://ir.oma.aero/events.cfm.

This report 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., OMA, operates 13 international airports in nine states of central and northern Mexico. OMA's airports serve Monterrey, Mexico's fourth 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, the fourth 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.

CONTACT:  OMA
          Victor Bravo Martin, CFO
          +52.81.8625.4300 ext.308
          vbravo@oma.aero

          Zemi Communications
          Daniel Wilson
          +1.212.689.9560
          dbmwilson@zemi.com