Frankfurt Airport (FRA), owned and managed by Fraport AG, closed the first quarter of 2010 with a 33.5 per cent growth for the first three months of the year. In March 2010, cargo throughput rose by 37.4 per cent year-on-year and exceeded the 200,000-tonne mark for the first time in FRA’s history. The new monthly record of 203,308 tonnes represents an increase of about 11,400 tonnes compared to the previous peakmonth of November 2007.

The first quarter also saw a 3.9 per cent increase in passenger figures. From January through March 2010, the FRA intercontinental air transportation hub served over 11.3 million passengers. In March 2010, FRA registered a total of 4.4 million passengers – an 8.3 per cent increase year-on-year. Aircraft movements at FRA remained level with the previous year during the first quarter and cumulative maximum takeoff weights (MTOWs) grew by 2.5 per cent year-on-year.

“The very high cargo volumes seen in recent months, including the new record highs, are certainly a good indicator for the continuing recovery of the global economy, which should be reflected by further increasing cargo figures,” said Fraport executive board chairman Stefan Schulte.

The Fraport Group’s five majorityowned airports (Frankfurt, Antalya, Lima, Burgas and Varna) tallied a total cargo throughput (airfreight and airmail tonnage) up 30.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2010 to approximately 590,000 tonnes, while aircraft movements climbed by 4.2 per cent to more than150,000 takeoffs and landings.