MONTERREY, Mexico, Sept. 9, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mexican airport operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte, S.A.B. de C.V., known as OMA (Nasdaq:OMAB) (BMV:OMA), reports that terminal passenger traffic at its 13 airports increased 5.2% in August 2010, as compared to August 2009. Domestic traffic increased 4.2%, and international traffic rose 11.7%.
Of total traffic, 97.0% was commercial aviation, and 3.0% was general aviation.
Domestic traffic increased at nine airports. Growth at the Monterrey, Chihuahua, Tampico, and San Luis Potosi airports was noteworthy. In Monterrey, traffic increased principally on the routes to Cancun and Mexico City. In Chihuahua, traffic grew principally on the routes to Guadalajara and Mexico City. Tampico and San Luis Potosi traffic grew principally on the routes to Monterrey. Traffic at the other four group airports decreased; the most affected was Torreon, with a reduction on the Mexico City route.
International traffic increased at six airports, with Monterrey and San Luis Potosi showing noteworthy increases. Monterrey benefitted from increases in traffic to Houston, Atlanta, Miami, and Las Vegas. San Luis Potosi benefitted from an increase in passenger traffic to Dallas. International traffic decreased most in Zacatecas, where the suspension of operations of Mexicana de Aviacion affected the route to Chicago, and in Zihuatanejo, where there was a reduction in traffic to Los Angeles.
The total number of flight operations (takeoffs and landings) in the month increased 14.3% as compared to the prior year period. Domestic flights rose 12.2%, and international flights rose 31.8%.
There were a number of events during the month related to the airlines Mexicana de Aviacion, Click Mexicana, and Mexicana Link, which make up Grupo Mexicana. The negative effect on traffic resulting from the bankruptcy filing by Mexicana de Aviacion on August 3d and the suspension of operations by all three airlines on August 28th was more than offset by the growth in traffic on other airlines and general aviation. Traffic carried by Grupo Mexicana airlines decreased by 64,853 passengers as compared to August 2009, while traffic carried by all others increased 118,202.
The complete traffic report is available at .
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 forward-looking 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 most recent 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.
About OMA
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, Mazatlan, and Zihuatanejo, and nine other regional centers and border cities. OMA also operates a hotel and commercial areas inside Terminal 2 of the Mexico City airport. OMA employs over 970 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 9001:2008. OMA's strategic shareholder members are ICA, Mexico's largest engineering, procurement, and construction company, and Aeroports de Paris Management, subsidiary of Aeroports 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, .
CONTACT: Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte, S.A.B. de C.V. Jose Luis Guerrero Cortes, CFO +52.81.8625.4300 ext.308 jlguerrero@oma.aero Zemi Communications Daniel Wilson +1.212.689.9560 dbmwilson@zemi.com