"Crisis hits growth at Madrid-Barajas airport"

Tuesday, January 15, 2002

Crisis hits growth at Madrid-Barajas airport (La crisis debilita el
crecimiento del aeropuerto de Barajas)
Spain - Expansion


The economic crisis and last September's terrorist attacks have hit the
growth of Spain's largest airport, Madrid-Barajas. Just over 34m
passengers used Madrid-Barajas last year, up 3.3 per cent on 2000, when
a record 17.2 per cent rise in passengers was recorded. A six per cent
increase in 2001 had initially been forecast. Last year's growth was the
lowest since 1993, when the airport recorded a 4.2 per cent fall in
passengers. However, the airport has weathered the crisis better than
most others outside Spain. As of October 2001, Madrid-Barajas was ranked
fifth in Europe. It was ranked 18th in the world (based on figures for
January-July), up five places on 2000.

According to Miguel Angel Oleaga, director of Madrid-Barajas, the
slowdown has been gradual. Passenger growth fell from 16 per cent in
January to five per cent in December, having fallen sharply following
the terrorist attacks. Traffic with the US, which accounts for five per
cent of flights at the airport, was down 22 per cent in December, after
falling 45 per cent in October. The number of flights at the airport
rose by 4.76 per cent last year to 375,545. Domestic flights accounted
for 53.7 per cent of this figure. The airport handled cargo totalling
296,181 tonnes, down 4.83 per cent on 2000.


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