MONTERREY, Mexico, Jan. 10, 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 7.8% in December 2011, as compared to December 2010. Domestic traffic increased 9.9%, and international traffic decreased 1.4%.
Of total December traffic, 97.1% was commercial aviation and 2.9% was general aviation.
|
Total Passengers* |
|
|
Dec-10 |
Dec-11 |
Change % |
Jan-Dec 2010 |
Jan-Dec 2011 |
Change % |
|
Domestic |
793,247 |
872,051 |
9.9 |
9,660,159 |
9,988,332 |
3.4 |
|
International |
183,637 |
181,104 |
(1.4) |
1,927,529 |
1,784,252 |
(7.4) |
|
OMA Total |
976,884 |
1,053,155 |
7.8 |
11,587,688 |
11,772,584 |
1.6 |
* 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 December, with the most noteworthy increases in Monterrey (+5.5%), Tampico (+40.1%), Ciudad Juárez (+18.1%), Culiacán (+7.3%), Reynosa (+44.2%), and Torreón (+28.6%). In Monterrey, traffic increased on the Mexico City and Cancún routes. In Tampico, Ciudad Juárez, and Reynosa traffic increased on the Mexico City routes. In Culiacán, traffic increased on the Mexico City and Tijuana routes. In Torreón, traffic increased on the Mexico City route. Traffic decreased at the Mazatlán airport (-1.8%), principally because of decreases on the La Paz and Monterrey routes.
International traffic increased most significantly in Monterrey (+10.5%) and Zacatecas (+183.4%). In Monterrey, traffic benefited from the increase in passengers on the routes to San Antonio and Chicago, as well as the opening of a route to Panama City, Panama. In Zacatecas, there was an increase in traffic on the new Chicago route. It is important to note that in December the Monterrey-Panama and Zacatecas-Chicago routes opened. The largest decreases were recorded in Acapulco (-71.1%), Zihuatanejo (-10.9%), and Mazatlán (-6.1%). The reductions in Acapulco took place on the Houston and Dallas routes. In Zihuatanejo, the reduction was on the Houston route. In Mazatlán, the reductions occurred on the routes to Denver, Houston, and Calgary.
The total number of
flight operations (takeoffs and landings) in December decreased 2.5% as compared to the prior year period. Domestic flights decreased 2.8%, and international flights decreased 1.0%.
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 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 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:
CONTACT: Jose Luis Guerrero Cortes
OMA, CFO
+52.81.8625.4300 ext.308
jlguerrero@oma.aero
Daniel Wilson
Zemi Communications
+1.212.689.9560 ext. 264
dbmwilson@zemi.com
