Frankfurt Airport and most of Fraport’s Group airports worldwide report traffic growth in November

Positive passenger trend continues, but slowdown expected for December due to pandemic

Frankfurt Airport (FRA) welcomed some 2.9 million passengers in November 2021. This represents an increase of 341.5 percent year-on-year, albeit compared to a very weak November 2020. FRA’s continued traffic recovery was driven by sustained demand for European holiday travel and a rise in intercontinental traffic, including North America. The reopening of the U.S. to international air travel in early November also had a positive impact on passenger figures. For the current month of December 2021, traffic growth is expected to slow down again, as a result of the resurgence in coronavirus infection rates and related travel restrictions.

In the reporting month, FRA’s passenger traffic continued to rebound to more than half of the pre-crisis level reported in November 2019 (down 42.8 percent).¹ During the January-to-November 2021 period, a total of some 22.1 million passengers traveled via Frankfurt Airport. Compared to the same period last year, this represents a 23.6 percent increase over 2020, and a 66.4 percent decline over 2019.

Cargo throughput (airfreight + airmail) saw a slight decrease for the first time this year, slipping by 1.2 percent year-on-year to 192,298 metric tons in the reporting month. Compared to November 2019, cargo traffic was up 3.0 percent. Aircraft movements continued to climb by 125.6 percent year-on-year to 28,882 takeoffs and landings in November 2021. Accumulated maximum takeoff weights (MTOWs) increased by 72.9 percent year-on-year to around 1.8 million metric tons.

Fraport’s Group airports worldwide also largely continued their positive passenger trend in November 2021. Most of them achieved significant passenger growth. Traffic volumes at some airports even rose by over 100 percent year-on-year, albeit compared to strongly reduced traffic levels in November 2020. Only Xi’an Airport (XIY) in China registered a 51.2 percent decline year-on-year to about 1.2 million passengers, reflecting newly imposed travel restrictions in response to the pandemic.

Traffic at Slovenia’s Ljubljana Airport (LJU) increased to 45,660 passengers in November 2021. The two Brazilian airports of Fortaleza (FOR) and Porto Alegre (POA), combined, served some 1.0 million passengers. In Peru, traffic at Lima Airport (LIM) rose to about 1.3 million passengers in the reporting month.

The Twin Star airports of Burgas (BOJ) and Varna (VAR) on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast welcomed a total of 52,192 passengers in November 2021. Traffic at Pulkovo Airport (LED) in St. Petersburg, Russia, advanced to nearly 1.4 million passengers.

Compared to pre-pandemic November 2019, the majority of the airports in Fraport’s international portfolio still registered lower passenger figures. However, Antalya Airport (AYT) on the Turkish Riviera again reached almost 90 percent of the pre-crisis level recorded in November 2019, with traffic growing to about 1.2 million passengers in the reporting month. Some of the Greek airports serving popular holiday destinations even exceeded the traffic levels of November 2019. In total, Fraport’s 14 Greek regional airports welcomed 563,963 passengers in November 2021.

¹ Editorial note: For enhanced statistical comparison, reporting of the Fraport Traffic Figures includes (until further notice) a comparison between the current traffic figures and the corresponding 2019 base-year figures, in addition to the regular year-on-year reporting.