Frankfurt Airport (FRA) has marked a significant milestone on its road to recovery. July 2023 witnessed a key moment as the airport welcomed over 6 million passengers in a single month for the first time since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
A Surge Amidst Challenges
The surge of passengers recorded in July 2023 paints an encouraging picture of the travel sector’s resurgence. Comparing the numbers to the same period in 2022, FRA experienced an impressive increase of nearly 20 percent in passenger traffic.
This uptick signifies a step towards normalcy after the turbulence caused by the pandemic. However, it’s important to note that despite this growth, the current figures still stand 13.1 percent below the pre-crisis level of 2019.
Cargo Takes Flight
While passenger traffic is often in the spotlight, cargo throughput at Frankfurt Airport has also displayed promising growth. In July 2023, the airport’s cargo traffic, encompassing both airfreight and airmail, exceeded the levels observed in July 2022 by 2.3 percent.
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This increase underscores the crucial role that FRA plays in facilitating the movement of goods and bolstering supply chains.
Accompanying this growth, aircraft movements saw a notable uptick of 16.1 percent year-on-year, with 40,626 takeoffs and landings recorded during the month.
MTOW Numbers
One of the remarkable metrics reflecting FRA’s recovery journey is the expansion of accumulated maximum takeoff weights (MTOWs) in July 2023.
Year-on-year, MTOWs surged by 13.5 percent, culminating in an approximate total of 2.5 million metric tons lifted off from the runways.
These numbers highlight not only increased flight activity but also the ability of Frankfurt Airport to accommodate larger aircraft and heavier loads, signifying robust growth in multiple dimensions.
Global Network Flourishing
Fraport, the entity overseeing Frankfurt Airport, manages a network of international airports that have collectively contributed to the growth story.
Ljubljana Airport (LJU) in Slovenia demonstrated an impressive year-on-year increase of 20.0 percent, serving 149,631 passengers in July 2023.
Moving continents to South America, the combined passenger traffic of Fortaleza (FOR) and Porto Alegre (POA) airports in Brazil surpassed 1.2 million passengers, marking a 3.1 percent increase.
Peru’s Lima Airport (LIM) also played a pivotal role, catering to approximately 1.9 million passengers in July 2023, reflecting a growth rate of 13.0 percent.
Meanwhile, Fraport’s collection of 14 Greek regional airports collectively embraced an 8.1 percent increase, serving a cumulative total of 6.2 million passengers.
In Bulgaria, the coastal gateways of Burgas (BOJ) and Varna (VAR) collectively welcomed 810,866 passengers, marking an 8.8 percent growth.
The surge extended to Antalya Airport (AYT) on the Turkish Riviera, where passenger numbers swelled to 5.5 million, representing a remarkable 10.2 percent increase.
Total Growth Under Fraport’s Wing
Zooming out to capture the broader impact, all the airports within Fraport’s purview collectively showcased a remarkable year-on-year growth of 11.9 percent in July 2023.
The cumulative passenger count reached an impressive 21.8 million travelers, underscoring the conglomerate’s successful efforts in steering the aviation industry back on track.
In related news, AviationSource has also reported that Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport (AMS) reported the busiest month of the year to date, also processing over 6 million passengers in July 2023.
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