Munich Airport continues to post stronger than average growth in 2008. In the first quarter of this year a total of 7.7 million passengers took off or landed at the airport, an increase of 6.5 per cent over the same period a year earlier. Another record was set for aircraft movements as well.
For the first time, Munich Airport recorded more than 100,000 take off s and landings in the first three months of the year. Th e results in the airfreight segment are also robust according to the airport, with more than 62,000 tonnes of cargo fl own during the first quarter of 2008, the airport handled nearly 7 per cent more goods than in the first quarter of 2007.
International flights were a major growth driver in the early months of the year. Both the European and long-haul segments experienced increases of over 9 per cent in total passengers. Destinations in the US were in particularly strong demand.
These routes saw a 14 per cent increase compared with the previous year. Due to the strong demand, airlines at Munich up-sized their aircraft. On average, the aircraft operating at Munich Airport were 2.7 tonnes heavier than in the same period a year earlier. In addition, the average load factor increased by 1.3 percentage points.