OMA reports April 2009 passenger traffic
Monterrey, Mexico, May 8, 2009—Mexican airport operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte, S.A.B. de C.V., known as OMA (NASDAQ: OMAB; BMV: OMA), reports that total passenger traffic (terminal passengers) at its 13 airports decreased 17.7% in April 2009, as compared to April 2008. Domestic traffic decreased 18.0%, and international traffic decreased 16.1%.
For comparative purposes, it should be noted that during 2008 the Holy Week and Easter holiday travel period took place in March, while in 2009 it occurred in April.
A material event during the month was the outbreak of the A(H1N1) flu, also known as swine flu. Mexico issued a health alert on the evening of April 23, 2009, and starting April 24 began implementing measures recommended by the authorities. These measures included screening of all departing international passengers for signs of flu infection effective April 29, as ordered by the Ministry of Communications and Transportation. Based on traffic statistics for commercial aviation (96.9% of the total), OMA’s airports reported a 16.3% reduction in average daily passengers for the period April 24-30, as compared to the daily average for the period April 1-23; domestic and traffic decreased 15.7% and international traffic decreased 19.4%. At the present time OMA cannot estimate the impact that the influenza outbreak and public health measures will have on passenger traffic volumes, the number of flight operations, or the financial condition of the company. Much will depend on how long this situation continues and its impact on economic activity.
Domestic traffic in April 2009 decreased 18.0% (-185,263 pax), compared to the same month of 2008. With the exception of Zihuatanejo, the other airports recorded reductions in domestic traffic. The most affected airports were Monterrey, Ciudad Juárez, and Culiacán. The departure from the market of Aerocalifornia, Avolar, Aladia, and Alma in the second half of 2008 and the reduction in frequencies or cancellation of routes by Aviacsa, VivaAerobus, and Grupo Aeroméxico were the principal factors that affected domestic traffic. The opening of the Durango-Tijuana route by Interjet, the Monterrey-Aguascalientes route by Aeroméxico Connect, and the Monterrey-Guadalajara route by VivaAerobus were noteworthy.
International traffic decreased 16.1% (-30,840 pax) in April 2009 compared to April 2008. Traffic was. The airports of Monterrey, Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, Acapulco, and Mazatlán were the ones most affected by the reduction of routes and frequencies by U.S. carriers. There was an increase in international passengers at the Zacatecas airport as a result of an increase in the number of passengers flying to and from Chicago and Los Angeles.
By airport
Monterrey, OMA’s principal airport, served 445,625 passengers in April 2009, a reduction of 22.5% (-129,580 pax) compared to the same month of the prior year. Domestic passenger traffic decreased 23.2%, and international passenger traffic decreased 17.6% as the result of the reduction in frequencies or cancellation of routes by U.S. and domestic carriers, the end of operations by several domestic airlines last year, and the flu outbreak during the month.
Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte, S.A.B. de C.V., known as OMA, operates 13 international airports in nine states of central and northern Mexico. OMA’s airports serve Monterrey, Mexico’s third largest metropolitan area, the tourist destinations of Acapulco, Mazatlán, and Zihuatanejo, and nine other regional centers and border cities. OMA employs over 950 persons in order to offer passengers and clients, airport and commercial services in facilities that comply with all applicable international safety, security standards, and ISO 9001:2000. OMA’s strategic shareholder members are ICA, Mexico’s largest engineering, procurement, and construction company, and Aéroports de Paris Management, subsidiary of Aéroports de Paris, the second largest European airports operator. OMA is listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange (OMA) and on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (OMAB). Please visit our website, www.oma.aero.
This press release may contain forward-looking information and statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and projections about future events. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “target,” or similar expressions. While OMA's management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forwardlooking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the control of OMA, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those discussed in our Annual Report filed on Form 20-F under the caption “Risk Factors.” OMA undertakes no obligation to publicly update its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
