Basel Aero airports up passenger turnover 11% in Jan-April
KRASNODAR. May 17 (Interfax) - Airport operating company Basel Aero in Krasnodar territory served 1.19 million passengers in January-April 2012, 11% up on the same period of 2011, the company's press secretary, Larisa Peredero, told Interfax.
Passenger turnover increased mostly on international routes (up 34%), she said. There was not a significant increase in the number of flights for the group as a whole or for separate airports.
"The biggest increase in international traffic was shown by Sochi Airport, where there was an increase from 46,000 passengers last year to 67,000 passengers this year. This was due to the opening of new destinations as well as the Sochi round of World Cup Skiing," she said.
Sochi Airport served 449,000 passengers in the four months, up 7%, Krasnodar - 683,000 (up 9%) and Anapa - 46,000 (this airport was closed in January-March 2011 due to runway reconstruction). Gelendzhik Airport saw a 40% drop in passenger turnover to 20,000 due to poor weather conditions in the winter months and UTair's suspension of its scheduled flight from Moscow to April 24.
Basel airports processed 3,800 tonnes of cargo and post in January-April, up 3% year-on-year.
Eisk Airport is currently closed due to runway repairs.
Basel Aero was established in 2007 and is part of Basic Element. It manages airports in Krasnodar, Sochi, Gelendzhik, Anapa and Eisk. Basel Aero airports served 5.37 million passengers in 2011, up 24% on 2010.