Frankfurt Airport expecting year-on-year decline in traffic in winter 2012/13

Germany's Frankfurt Airport announced (26-Oct-2012) departures are expected to decrease 4.6% year-on-year to 3980 per week over winter 2012/13. Load factor is expected to increase to more than 69.7% and freight services are expected to decrease by 2.6% to 220 departures per week. However, intercontinental cargo services are expected to increase 3% year-on-year to give the airport a more than 60% share of such services in Germany. Fraport executive chairman Dr Stefan Schulte said, "The growth of air transportation is considered an indicator of the overall economic situation and, thus, is largely dependent on these developments. Although strong economic uncertainty in many European countries is dampening the growth in continental traffic, FRA is benefiting - as one of major hub airports worldwide - from its continuing strong position in the important intercontinental business." [more - original PR]