23% more intercontinental passengers at Barcelona El Prat Airport
Barcelona’s El Prat Airport has again registered positive passenger figures in November with the number of people transiting through its facilities reaching 2.38 million, 4.5% more compared to November 2012. Furthermore, the number of intercontinental passengers grew by 22.8 %. According to the Spanish Airport Authority (AENA), El Prat is currently on an upward trend. On the other hand, Madrid Barajas Airport registered 2.98 million passengers in November, representing a 5.3 % decrease compared to the same month last year. Since January 2013, 32,903,000 passengers have transited through Barcelona El Prat, a 0.2% decrease compared to the first eleven months of 2012. At Spanish level, the figures registered a 3.9% drop due to the economic crisis.
Madrid (ACN).- Barcelona’s El Prat Airport has again registered positive passenger figures in November with the number of people transiting through its facilities reaching 2.38 million, 4.5% more compared to November 2012. Furthermore, the number of intercontinental passengers grew by 22.8 %. The figures were released on Tuesday by the Spanish Airport Authority (AENA). While the Barcelona-based airport is on an upward trend, Madrid’s Barajas Airport registered 2.983 million passengers in November, representing a 5.3 % decrease compared to the same month last year. Between January and November 2013, 32.903 million passengers have transited through El Prat, meaning there was a slight decrease (0.2 %) compared to the first eleven months of 2012. At Spanish level, the figures registered a 3.9% drop due to the economic crisis. In Barcelona’s El Prat, while the number of intercontinental passengers grew by 22.8%, the routes within the EU increased by 6.4% only. Domestic flights, the most affected by the economic crisis and the fall in consumption, have continued to decline. In November, they decreased by 3.7%, although the drop was less sharp than during previous months.
The greatest growth in air traffic was for the routes linking Barcelona to American cities, with an increase by 44.8%. The new connection between Barcelona and Philadelphia, operated by U.S. Airways, has greatly contributed to such high numbers.
The air traffic for flights connecting the Catalan capital and airports in the Middle East also increased significantly, by 21.5% in this particular case. This increase is due to the routes to Qatar and to the United Arab Emirates, operated respectively by Qatar Airways and Emirates airline.
Freight traffic going through Barcelona El Prat also continued on a rising trend and has registered an increase by 14.8% in November. The cumulative growth during the year amounted to 3.3%.
In spite of positive figures for November, sharper drop registered at Spanish level
This November, Spanish airports also registered their first improvement in their number of passengers in almost two years. Since December 2011, monthly air traffic figures had been on a constant decline. However, last month, 12.2 million passengers transited through airports in the whole of Spain, up 3.2% compared to the same month last year. However, between January and November 2013, airports have still accumulated a drop in air traffic by 3.9% compared to the first eleven months of 2011, with 175.6 million passengers.
Madrid’s Barajas airport on a declining trend
This November, Madrid’s Barajas Airport registered 2.98 million passengers, representing a 5.3 % decrease compared to the same month last year. Last October, Barajas recorded 3.49 million passengers and a 9.8 % decrease compared to October 2012.