Three-quarters of passengers arriving at Munich Airport from Malta were using the Bavarian capital city as a connecting point, figures released by the airport operators show.
A total of 28,000 passengers from Malta landed at Munich last year, up from 25,300 in 2012. Fifty-seven per cent were flying for business purposes and the remaining 43 per cent were leisure travellers.
Seventy-six per cent of all passengers from Malta were in transit and for the rest, Munich was their final destination.
It is lauded for having the world’s best dining
Of the 4.1 million passenger movements recorded by Malta International Airport last year, 579,946 involved passengers arriving from or leaving for Germany.
In 2013, Munich Airport handled a record 38.7 million passengers. In terms of passenger traffic, it was Europe’s seventh busiest airport last year, as in 2012, ranking 30th in the world.
It prides itself with having a record minimum connecting time of only 30 minutes but also strives to accommodate passengers with longer stopovers.
The airport and its surroundings have a lot to offer and a brochure (www.munich-airport.com/viaMUC) gives ideas about what to do while waiting for a connecting flight.
As in the past, hub traffic proved to be a stabilising factor last year, operators Flughafen München GmbH said. The airport held the share of connecting passengers at the previous year’s level of 39 per cent.
The strongest passenger traffic growth was in the European and intercontinental segments, which gained about two per cent.
In contrast, the number of passengers flying on domestic routes in Germany dropped by about three per cent, which the airport operators partially attributed to the aviation tax.
Munich Airport is an ‘airport city’ serving 200 destinations.
Voted best airport in central Europe and sixth best airport worldwide, it has the only brewery/beer garden and is lauded for having the world’s best airport dining.
Travellers’ comforts are primary with internet points in both terminals, 30 minutes free Wi-Fi, child day care and changing facilities, showers, porter service, Napcabs, recreation areas and seasonal sports such as beach volleyball and ice skating.
A Christmas market and summer surfing programme attract nearby residents too.
VIP service is available on request to all passengers, with chauffeured limousines from and to the aircraft along with a VIP open-air garden, bar, bath and shower facilities, cigar lounge and private suites for resting.
It also has innovative infogates: touch-screen pod stations allowing passengers to get information via videoconference with staff.
Top 10 reasons to love Munich Airport
1. Entertainment for visitors and local residents alike
2. Munich’s VIP programme
3. Advanced information centres – known as infogates
4. Amazing food and drink and the world’s only airport brewery
5. Shopping
6. Seasonal entertainment
7. Spectacular architecture
8. Napcabs – the perfect way to find some privacy and beat jetlag
9. Distinguishing features
10. Innovation in aviation industry