14.02.2002 – 10:25

Fraport AG

January 2002: Traffic Figures Show Upward Trend at Frankfurt Airport

Frankfurt, Germany (ots)

Frankfurt Airport's (FRA) traffic
figures for January 2002 clearly show that the decline in passenger
figures at Germany's largest airport has bottomed out.  In January
2002, FRA welcomed 3.3 million passengers, a decline of still 6.2
percent over the corresponding month last year. FRA experienced
overportional growth in January 2001 -- when about 3.5 million
passengers and 10 percent growth over January 2000 were registered.
Fraport AG still recorded declining passenger traffic in October and
November 2001 at FRA, with a drop of 13.9 percent and  10.9 percent,
respectively. In December 2001, FRA's  passenger figures declined by
only 7.9 percent.

Along with the strong economy, the main factor contributing to the
overproportional comparison base of January 2001 was the so-called
"millennium effect".  Many passengers delayed their travel plans
because of the changeover to the new millennium. From 2000 to 2002,
there was even an average annual increase of 1.6 percent. Passenger
volumes in the first two weeks of February 2002 confirm that figures
are running only about two percent below the corresponding figures
for 2001.

In January 2002, intercontinental traffic increased from Frankfurt
Airport to South America, particularly to Brazil, Chile and
Venezuela. The number of passengers flying to these countries reached
79,800, growing 4.8 percent over the same month in the previous year.
Some 434,500 passengers traveled from FRA to North America, a 7.7
percent decline over January 2001. This follows declines of 30.4
percent in October, 16.6 percent in November and 8.2 in December of
2001 -- also confirming an improvement.

As for domestic traffic, Fraport AG had about 485,000 passengers
at FRA:  56,000 fewer than for the same reporting month in January
2001 (8.8 percent decline). This compares with a 16.4 percent decline
in October, an 11.4 percent decline in November and a 12.1 percent
decline in December. FRA continued to experience a strong decline in
passenger figures for flights to Islamic states, the Middle East and
North Africa.

Frankfurt Airport handled 105,400 metric tons of airfreight in
January, versus 113,800 metric tons (7.4 percent decline) for the
same month in 2001: Despite the weak global economy, a noticeable
trend is developing here too.  Aircraft movements dropped by 2.5
percent to 35,800 takeoffs and landings in January 2002. Some
airlines, following the events of September 11, deleted routes. The
Maximum Takeoff Weights at FRA even fell by a total of 6 percent, as
airlines met the economic situation and passenger demand by deploying
smaller aircraft.

Frankfurt Airport's Traffic Figures for January 2002

January 2002   December 2001  January 2001  Change 2
                                                         Jan. 02/
                                                         Jan. 01

Passengers
   in millions  3.3         3.2             3.5          -6.2 %

Airfreight
   in thousands 
   of metric 
   tons       105.4       123.5           113.8          -7.4 %

Airmail
   in thousands 
   of metric 
   tons        12.4        13.7            12.1           2.0 %

Aircraft 
   Movements 1
   in 
   thousands   35.8        33.8            36.7          -2.5 %

MTOWs
   in thousands 
   of metric 
   tons     1,920.5     1,878.1         2,043.9          -6.0 %

Punctuality
   share of 
   punctual arrivals 
   and departures 
   in percent  78.2        70.6            80.1

1 Excluding military flights
   2 Rate of change based on unrounded numbers

ots Original Text Service: Fraport AG
Internet: www.newsaktuell.ch

Contact:

Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide
Attn: Robert A. Payne - Manager International Press
60547 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Tel. +49/69/690-78547 (with voice mailbox)
Fax: +49/69/690-60548
e-mail: r.payne@fraport.de
Internet: www.fraport.com (click on "Press Lounge")