Centenary a year of success - Hamburg Airport achieves positive result
12-Apr-2012 For Hamburg Airport, 2011 ended as a year of financial success. For the first time, more than 13 million passengers used the airport in a single year. The final figure of 13.56 million passengers in 2011 represents 4.6 percent growth over the previous year. The final result was a profit of 49.2 million euros; the previous year's result was 41.8 million euros. Turnover for the year, at 253.3 million euros was 1.9 percent higher than in 2010 (248.6 million euros). "2011 was another good year for Hamburg Airport. We were able to celebrate our 100th birthday with thousands of people from northern Germany. Financially speaking, we achieved a positive result. This was made possible primarily by the growth in passenger figures, where we set a new record: for the first time, more than 13 million passengers at Hamburg Airport," said Michael Eggenschwiler, Chief Executive Officer of Hamburg Airport, at the Financial Results Press Conference. "Hamburg Airport's passengers enjoy variety in the route network. 115 destinations are served directly, and 900 with only a single change. We believe in being dependable - for our employees as a dependable employer and for our customers as a dependable partner. And it pays off: the first quarter of 2012 brought with it 5.2 percent growth in passenger numbers."
Passenger figures 2011: 4.6 percent more passengers
Never before in its 100-year history has Hamburg Airport seen so many passengers. In 2011, 13.56 million passengers passed through Hamburg Airport. This is around 600,000 passengers - or 4.6 percent - more than in 2010. The growth in passenger numbers was primarily the result of the deployment of larger aircraft. The number of seats per flight grew by 2.8 percent to 133.7, with an average of 96.6 passengers on board each aircraft movement, an increase of 2.2 percent (comparing 2011/2010). The number of aircraft movements, in contrast, increased by just 0.6 percent to 158,076 in comparison to the previous year. Air freight developments were varied. Flown air cargo grew by 0.5 percent, whilst truck transshipment declined by 9 percent. Total air cargo, excluding transit, was 67,729 tonnes (-5.4 percent).
Route network: Airlines with new offerings
From sunny holiday destinations to city breaks, the airlines at Hamburg Airport are expanding their offerings for northern Germany's residents. Lufthansa is increasing its commitment to Hamburg with seven new routes in 2012: Budapest, Birmingham, Dubrovnik, Jersey, Naples, St Petersburg and Venice. Francophiles, too, have something to celebrate, with Air France launching direct flights to Marseille and Toulouse. The regional carrier OLT Express Germany will be linking Hamburg and Dresden from 23 April, and Hamburg Airways is launching a service to Kiev on 26 April. New airlines flying to Hamburg Airport include Vueling (to Barcelona), Meridianafly (to Olbia on Sardinia), eurolot (to Krakow) and Avanti Air (to Memmingen in Germany's Allgäu region).
Outlook for 2012
Michael Eggenschwiler, Chief Executive Officer of Hamburg Airport, is expecting further positive developments for the airport in 2012. "In 2012, we want to write the next chapter in Hamburg Airport's story of success. We expect passenger growth of 3.7 percent. There are, however, dark clouds on the horizon: the Aviation Charge is damaging Germany's aviation industry and the rising price of fuel is putting the breaks on the upturn. Hamburg Airport is actively resisting this downward pressure and will continue to make the passenger the focal point of its dealings in 2012. We are committed to further expansion of the route network in cooperation with our airline partners; we will further expand the services we provide and make travel more comfortable - from the journey to the airport to check-in and then departure."