Increase in freight and passengers at Maastricht Aachen Airport in 2011

01/03/2012Maastricht Aachen Airport (MAA) has finished the year 2011 with an increase in both cargo and passenger traffic. A total of 92.500 tons of freight was handled and over 360.000 passengers traveled through the airport.

The growth in freight equaled 3%, from 90.000 tons in 2010 to 92.500 tons in 2011. Despite a higher growth rate was expected at the beginning of the year the result is a reasonable result given the current worldwide economic climate. Important facts in freight development in 2011 were the return of Royal Jordanian Ca…

01/03/2012Maastricht Aachen Airport (MAA) has finished the year 2011 with an increase in both cargo and passenger traffic. A total of 92.500 tons of freight was handled and over 360.000 passengers traveled through the airport.

The growth in freight equaled 3%, from 90.000 tons in 2010 to 92.500 tons in 2011. Despite a higher growth rate was expected at the beginning of the year the result is a reasonable result given the current worldwide economic climate. Important facts in freight development in 2011 were the return of Royal Jordanian Cargo to MAA and the increased number of weekly flights by Cargolux.

Just over 360.000 passengers travelled through MAA in 2011, approximately 100.000 more than in 2010. This resulted in a 40% passenger increase, a substantial increase for the second year in a row, following a 44% increase in 2010. The passenger increase for 2011 mainly results from the new Germanwings service to Berlin and an increase in the number of Ryanair flights.

For 2010 the economic conditions are expected to influence the volumes in both the passenger and cargo segments. With air cargo traffic being a clear barometer for the global economy expectations are that the first 3 to 6 months of the year will remain weak with volumes restoring in the second half of the year, mainly in the far east market. During spring 2012 Maastricht Aachen Airport will open a new cargo terminal.

Thanks to amongst others the recently announced new Ryanair destinations Palma de Mallorca, Milan-Bergamo and Bari the growth in the passenger traffic will be continued but is expected to be lower than in the previous two years.