June 2003 - FRA Traffic Figures: Fraport AG (FSE: FRA) Expects Passenger Figures to Rise Again During the Next Few Months

11.07.2003, 08:22

FRANKFURT (Germany) 11. 7. 2003 (PROTEXT/ots) - FrankfurtAirport (FRA) welcomed some 4.3 million passengers in June 2003,2.3 percent less than in the corresponding month last year.Airfreight decreased by 4.1 percent to 123,721 metric tons andairmail dropped by 17.2 percent to 9,211 metric tons. Fraport AGregistered 38,108 aircraft movements (take-offs and landings) atFRA, a 2.7 percent decline compared to June 2002. Thisparalleled the development in maximum take-off weights (MTOWs),which also slipped by 2.7 percent to 2.1 million metric tons inthe reporting month.

However, the recent development in passenger figures atFrankfurt Airport indicates a recovery trend. The June 2003passenger decline of 2.3 percent was about half as much as inthe preceding months of May (5.3 percent decline) and April (5.2percent decline). International traffic has clearly recovered andthe demand for holiday travel has risen again. In particular,the Balearic and Canary islands benefited from this development,along with many destinations in Eastern Europe. For example,Bulgaria - an inexpensive tourist destination - achieved adouble-digit increase in passengers. Traffic to the Middle Eastalso registered double-digit growth in June 2003.

Containment of the SARS infectious disease still did notpositively influence traffic to and from the Far East. In June2003, China and Hong Kong still experienced a strong collapse inpassenger figures. However, there was good news from severalairlines announcing that they expected a strong revival in Asiantraffic. Serving as Europe's air transport hub and gateway toAsia, Frankfurt Airport will especially profit from thisdevelopment.

In the first half of 2003, some 22.5 million passengerstraveled via Frankfurt Airport, a 2.1 percent decrease comparedto the same period last year. FRA's airfreight tonnage droppedin June 2003 for the first time in several months, due to theweak economy and the effect of the strong euro on Germany'sexport industry. Routes to the Far East experienced a slightdecrease in airfreight, while the North and Latin Americanmarket recorded a clear decline. FRA handled a total of 747,000metric tons of airfreight during the first six months of 2003 -3.3 percent more than in the first half of 2002. Fraport AGreported 9,211 metric tons of airmail at FRA, a 17.2 percent dropcompared to June 2002. This decline was caused by a reduction inservices in Deutsche Post's overnight domestic airmail network,which is based at Frankfurt Airport.

Aircraft movements and MTOWs also declined in June 2003. Inparticular, capacity adjustments made by the airlines, inresponse to lower passenger demand following the SARS outbreak,resulted in a decline in the number of flights at FRA. Becausethe booking situation is gradually recovering, Fraport AG expectsthat the airlines will soon revive routes that were dropped orwill increase capacity on routes that were served lessfrequently during the crisis. Frankfurt Airport's Traffic Figures for June 2003

June 2003

Change 2

Jan. - June Change 2

June 03/

2003

Jan.-June

June 02

03/02 Passengers 4,250,394

-2.3 %

22,466,925

-2.1 % Airfreight in metric tons

123,721

-4.1 %

747,346

3.3 % Airmail in metric tons

9,211

-17.2 %

62,556

-9.2 % Aircraft Movements 1 38,108

-2.7 %

225,665

1.4 % MTOWs 1 in metric tons

2,083,266

-2.7 %

12,370,256

3.4 % Punctuality share of punctual arrivals and departures in percent 82.1

78.0 1 Excluding military flights 2 Change over previous year ots Original Text Service:Fraport AG Internet: http://www.presseportal.de For MoreInformation, Please Contact: Fraport AG Frankfurt AirportServices Worldwide Attn: Robert A. Payne - Manager InternationalPress 60547 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Tel.: +49 69.690.78547 /Fax: +49.69.690.60548 E-mail: r.payne@fraport.de / Internet:www.fraport.com

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