Brussels Airport: passenger numbers up 1.3% in February 2011

Passengers: Brussels Airport welcomed slightly under 1.1 million passengers in February, up 1.3% on the corresponding month last year. Leisure traffic results were disappointing because of the mid-term break that last year fell in February, whereas this year it fell in March. Leisure traffic was also affected by the upheaval in Egypt and Tunisia: two popular holiday destinations in the spring. These poor results were compensated by a strong growth in the other passenger traffic segments so February ended with positive growth. Long-haul traffic even recorded two-digit growth.

Cargo: In February, Brucargo handled 37,425 tonnes of air freight, a 6.2% growth on February 2010. The strongest growth was recorded in the segment of cargo carried on board of passenger aircraft. Integrator traffic too continues its recovery in February.

Aircraft movements: The number of aircraft movements in February increased by 4.1% totaling to 17,077.

New services: Early February easyJet added Liverpool (6/w) to its network. As of the new summer season Belle Air will operate a three weekly service to Tirana. Blue Air will start a two weekly service to Bacau in Romania and in June Montenegro Airlines is to launch a direct service to Podgorica, a route which never before was flown from Brussels. As of this summer Adria adds Pristina (2/W) to its network (2/w). In June Jetairfly too will be carrying out flights to Tirana and Pristina, (both 2/w). Moreover, as of May this carrier will also start a two weekly service to Porto Santo.

The Swedish airline Skyways will start a direct service to Jönköping (10/w), a first for Brussels Airport. The Spanish airline Air Nostrum/Iberia announces services to Vigo (3/w) and San Sebastian (2/w, and another new destination) as of this summer. Several other airlines have announced an increase of their current flight frequencies.

Capacity on a number of long-haul routes will be increased during the summer season: larger aircraft on the Washington (United Airlines), Newark (United Airlines) and Montreal (Air Canada) routes, increased frequency on the Abu Dhabi route (8/w, Etihad Airways).