Malta International Airport plc – Traffic Results – January-March 2012

April 9, 2012

Passenger traffic at Malta International Airport for the first quarter of 2012 experienced a decline of 4.7% when compared to the same period in 2011. This drop, which is equivalent to a reduction of 27,427 passenger movements, was brought about by a decline of 10% in seat capacity. When analysing this quarter’s results, one must also take into consideration the extraordinary influx of over 13,000 passenger movements generated by the unrest in Libya last year. Excluding this effect, passenger movements for the first quarter were 3% less than 2011.

This result is in line with the Company’s forecast for the year.

The average Seat Load Factor for the quarter was stronger than that achieved in the same period last year – 69% in 2012 as opposed to 65% in 2011. Cargo and Mail for the first three months were marginally lower than 2011, registering a drop of 0.5%, whilst the maximum take-off weight (MTOW) which to a certain extent is dependent on aircraft movements, dropped by 8.1%.

A look at the airport’s core markets reveals that the United Kingdom, responsible for approximately 33% of total traffic, registered the same level of traffic as that of 2011. Italy on the other hand registered a six (6) percentage point increase in the Seat Load Factor (from 56% in 2011 to 62% this year) whilst passenger movements for this market dropped by 16%. On a more positive note, the German market experienced growth both in terms of seat capacity as well as Seat Load Factor, resulting in a substantial increase in passenger movements of 21%. The French and Spanish markets registered drops in passenger movements of 11% and 38% respectively.

March 2012

Passenger movements at Malta International Airport in March 2012 reached 221,912. The decrease in passenger movements, when compared to the same month last year, is equivalent to 7.7%. Seat capacity for the month was 9.9% less than last year, whilst the average seat load factor increased by 1.7 percentage points over March 2011. Excluding the effect of the unrest in North Africa last year, passenger movements for March 2012 would have been 5.5% less than last year.

To view the official announcement, Click Here.