Fraport traffic figures for September 2021 show continuing positive passenger trend at most Group’s airports

Frankfurt’s cargo traffic sees further strong growth

Frankfurt Airport (FRA) welcomed some 3.1 million passengers in September 2021 – representing a 169.1 percent increase year-on-year, although compared to a very weak September 2020. Passenger growth continued to be largely driven by holiday traffic. In the reporting month, FRA’s passenger numbers – while still posting a 54.0 percent decline compared to September 2019 – again reached nearly half the pre-pandemic level, thus continuing the positive trend set in August 2021.¹

Frankfurt Airport (FRA) welcomed some 3.1 million passengers in September 2021 – representing a 169.1 percent increase year-on-year, although compared to a very weak September 2020. Passenger growth continued to be largely driven by holiday traffic. In the reporting month, FRA’s passenger numbers – while still posting a 54.0 percent decline compared to September 2019 – again reached nearly half the pre-pandemic level, thus continuing the positive trend set in August 2021.

During the first nine months of 2021, FRA served a total of some 15.8 million passengers. This resulted in a 2.2 percent decline compared to the same period last year, versus a 70.8 percent slide compared with the first nine months of 2019.

Cargo throughput (airfreight + airmail) continued its robust growth in September 2021, rising noticeably by 13.4 percent year-on-year to 188,177 metric tonnes. Compared to September 2019, cargo tonnage gained 7.7 percent in the reporting month. Aircraft movements climbed by 66.1 percent year-on-year to 28,135 takeoffs and landing. Accumulated maximum takeoff weights (MTOWs) increased by 61.5 percent to nearly 1.8 million metric tonnes.

In September 2021, the airports in Fraport’s international portfolio largely continued to report positive traffic performance. With the exception of Xi’an Airport (XIY) in China, Fraport’s Group airports worldwide achieved significant growth. At some Group airports, passenger traffic rose by over 100 percent year-on-year – albeit compared to strongly reduced traffic levels in September 2020. In comparison to pre-pandemic September 2019, most of Fraport’s Group airports worldwide still registered lower passenger figures. However, some Group airports serving high-demand tourist destinations – such as the Greek airports or Antalya Airport on the Turkish Riviera – saw traffic rebound to approximately 80 percent of pre-crisis levels in the reporting month (compared to September 2019).

Ljubljana Airport (LJU) in Slovenia’s capital city welcomed 65,133 passengers in September 2021. At the Brazilian airports of Fortaleza (FOR) and Porto Alegre (POA), combined traffic increased to 820,169 passengers. Peru’s Lima Airport (LIM) received nearly 1.1 million passengers in the reporting month.

Total traffic for the 14 Greek regional airports rose to about 3.4 million passengers in September 2021. On the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, the Twin Star airports of Burgas (BOJ) and Varna (VAR) also reported higher traffic with a total of 328,990 passengers served. Antalya Airport (AYT) in Turkey welcomed some 3.8 million passengers. St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport (LED) in Russia had approximately 1.9 million passengers. Xi’an Airport (XIY) in China recorded just under 2.3 million passengers in the reporting month.

¹ Editorial note: For enhanced statistical comparison, our 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.