Brussels Airport: 1.9 million passengers in Jul-2010

Passengers

In July Brussels Airport handled 1.9 million passengers, up 2% on the same month last year. Growth is undeniably recovering but originating passenger numbers are still under pressure from competing airports.

Transfer and long-haul traffic recorded substantial growth (+20%). In the intra-European segment business traffic in particular is back to full speed.

The Belgian leisure market - that contrary to most other European airports held strong last year - records similar results to last year's.

Cargo

Although the summer holidays are never the busiest period for cargo traffic, cargo recorded a growth of 14% on July 2009. The full-freighter segment grew by 16%; cargo carried on board passenger aircraft grew by no less than 36%.

Aircraft movements

The number of aircraft movements totalled to 20,772 down a mere 0.5% on pcp, indicating that the decline is steadily growing smaller.

New services

Last month again saw the announcement of a number of new routes for Brussels Airport. Air Arabia is moving its operations to Fez, Oujda and Casablanca from Charleroi to Brussels Airport. Ukraine International reopens its route to Kiev as of September and, starting this winter, Brussels Airlines operate an extra flight to Nairobi and Kigali, their fourth weekly flight to these destinations and their 31st weekly African flight.