MONTERREY, Mexico, May 9, 2011 (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 0.9% in April 2011, as compared to April 2010. Domestic traffic increased 1.6%, and international traffic decreased 2.8%.
Of total April traffic, 96.5% was commercial aviation, and 3.5% was general aviation.
Domestic traffic increased in nine airports in April, with the most noteworthy increases in Tampico, Monterrey, Zihuatanejo, and Torreón. In Tampico, traffic increased principally on the routes to Mexico City and Monterrey. In Monterrey, traffic increased on the Mexico City and Cancún routes. In Zihuatanejo, traffic increased on the Mexico City and Toluca routes. In Torreón, traffic increased on the Mexico City route. During April, VivaAerobus opened a new route between Acapulco and Mexico City. Aeromar opened routes between Acapulco and Puebla and between Durango and Zihuatanejo and Mexico City. Aeroméxico opened a route between Culiacán and Mexicali. Volaris opened a route between Monterrey and Los Angeles. Traffic decreased most at the airports in Chihuahua, Ciudad Juárez, and Acapulco. The reduction in Chihuahua was principally on the Toluca and Guadalajara routes. In Ciudad Juárez, the reduction was on the Monterrey route. In Acapulco, the reduction was primarily on the Mexico City route. The suspension of the airlines of Grupo Mexicana continued to affect Acapulco traffic.
International traffic increased most significantly in Monterrey, while the greatest decreases were recorded in Mazatlán, Zacatecas, and Acapulco. Mazatlán traffic was most affected on the route to Phoenix, while Acapulco was most affected on the Houston route. Zacatecas continues to be affected by the suspension of Grupo Mexicana.
The total number of flight operations (takeoffs and landings) in January decreased 1.3% as compared to the prior year period. Domestic flights decreased 2.6%, and international flights increased 7.8%.
The full version of the 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, Mazatlán, 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 1,000 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 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). For more information, please visit us at:
- Website:
- Twitter:
- Facebook: .
CONTACT: Jose Luis Guerrero Cortes OMA, CFO +52.81.8625.4300 ext.308 jlguerrero@oma.aero Daniel Wilson Zemi Communications +1.212.689.9560 ext. 264 dbmwilson@zemi.com