Brussels Airport: passenger numbers up 9.9% in March 2011

In March 2011 Brussels Airport registered 1.4 million passengers, up 9.9% on the corresponding month in 2010.
In the first half of the month, the leisure segment still suffered from the upheaval in Egypt and Tunisia, but in all other passenger traffic segments strong growth was recorded. Long-haul traffic continued to record two-digit growth in March. In the first quarter of the year, Brussels Airport handled 227,000 more passengers than last year: a 6.7% increase.

Cargo

In March Brucargo handled 43,742 tonnes of cargo: 12.2% down on the same month of last year. This remarkable decrease can be explained by the fact that the cargo volume recorded in March 2010 was boosted by an exceptionally large charter operation by Korean Air Cargo. Integrator traffic is back on the up since a few months. Cargo carried on board of passenger aircraft continues to record two-digit growth.

Aircraft movements

The number of aircraft movements in March increased by 4.2%, totalling to 19.999.

New services

29 March saw the start of the summer season in aviation, with Belle Air launching a three weekly service to Tirana and Blue Air a two weekly service to Bacau in Romania. As of June Montenegro Airlines is to operate a first ever direct service between Brussels and Podgorica. As of the summer Adria adds Pristina (2/w) to its network. In June Jetairfly too will be carrying out flights to Tirana and Pristina, (both 2/w). Moreover, as of May this carrier will also start a two weekly service to Porto Santo.

The Swedish airline Skyways will start a direct service to Jönköping (10/w), a first for Brussels Airport. The Spanish airline Air Nostrum/Iberia announces services to Vigo (3/w) and San Sebastian (2/w, and another new destination) as of this summer. Several other airlines have announced an increase of their current flight frequencies.

Capacity on a number of long-haul routes will be increased during the summer season: larger aircraft on the Washington (United Airlines), Newark (United Airlines) and Montreal (Air Canada) routes, increased frequency on the Abu Dhabi route (8/w, Etihad Airways).