Malta International Airport passenger movements in the first six months of the year increased by 10.3 per cent when compared to the same period last year, reaching 1,380,828.

MIA CEO Julian Jaeger said the growth in passenger movements during the January-June period was mainly brought about by a substantial increase in seat capacity, equivalent to 8.5 per cent, coupled with the strengthening of the average seat load factor. Mr Jaeger said that the improved global economic climate also played a part in these encouraging results.

During the first six months of the year aircraft movements increased by 7.9 per cent.

In view of the positive results achieved during the first six months of the year, Mr Jaeger said MIA expects passenger movements to reach 3.15 million in 2010, an estimated increase of eight per cent over 2009. This latest figure represents the second forecast revision for next year. In January MIA's forecast for 2010 was that of approximately three per cent over 2009 and this was revised to around six per cent in March.

Mr Jaeger told the media yesterday that he was confident MIA's 2010 passenger movements forecast would be achieved and that the eurozone's difficulties would not negatively affect traffic to Malta. He also said that had it not been for the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud in April, the forecast for this year's passenger movements would have been close to an 11 or 12 per cent increase over 2009.

Following a growth of 19.3 per cent in passenger movements during May, MIA again registered an increase of 19.3 per cent for June, reaching 331,345 movements. This is equivalent to an increase of 53,512 passenger movements over June 2009.

Flight movements and seat capacity for June increased by 14.8 per cent and 17.3 per cent respectively over June 2009, primarily due to the new routes that were launched this year. Concurrently, the average seat load factor rose by 1.1 per cent over the corresponding period. The maximum take-off weight (MTOW) for June was 14.5 per cent higher than last year, while cargo dropped by 5.9 per cent when compared to the same period in 2009.

The core markets all registered significant increases in June with Spain, Italy and France growing by an outstanding 138 per cent, 40 per cent and 39 per cent respectively, while the United Kingdom and Germany grew more modestly by seven per cent and five per cent. Likewise, the three top destinations also registered positive results with Gatwick, Fiumicino and Manchester growing by 1.7 per cent, 51 per cent and 1.7 per cent. On the other hand London Heathrow and Frankfurt decreased marginally by 2.6 per cent and 0.5 per cent respectively.

In the January to June period, Air Malta witnessed a two per cent increase in traffic while the figure for Ryanair and Easyjet was 47 per cent and 69 per cent respectively. Alitalia saw growth of 10 per cent while Emirates declined by 18 per cent.

Air Malta had a 52.5 per cent share of the total traffic in the first six months of the year and 81.5 per cent of the flag traffic. Ryanair enjoyed a 65.4 per cent share of the low cost carriers' traffic and 19.7 per cent of the total traffic while the figures for Easyjet were 29.2 per cent and 8.8 per cent respectively. The main markets during this period were the UK (33 per cent share), Italy (20 per cent) and Germany (13 per cent). During this six month period the German market declined by 2.4 per cent.

During January to June there was a 30.5 per cent increase in traffic from Rome Fiumicino and a 57 per cent increase from Milan Malpensa. The main destinations during this period were London Gatwick, Rome Fiumicino, London Heathrow, Manchester, Frankfurt, Luton, Munich, Catania, Milan Malpensa and Brussels.