Strong growth in passenger traffic and the continuing boom in airfreight lifted Munich Airport to yet another very successful year in 2015. The airport once again posted a year-on-year increase in Group sales, which rose to approximately 1.25 billion euros. Based on preliminary figures, the FMG Group achieved total earnings after taxes (EAT) of 135 million euros.
At this year’s annual press conference, Dr. Michael Kerkloh, the President and CEO of Munich Airport, noted that it is not only FMG, the airport operating company, that benefits from this success: “This is the best result in the history of our company. It is also very good news for the neighboring communities. They are going to receive about 35 million euros in business taxes for 2015 – 7 million euros more than in 2014.” Moreover, there was a 10 million euro increase in EBITDA – operating earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization – to 490 million euros. Cash flow also improved by 34 million euros to a total of 460 million euros.
A total of 41 million travellers – more than ever before – used Munich Airport as a starting point, destination or stopover in 2015. This represented an increase of 1.3 million passengers, or 3.2 percent, as compared with the previous year. A big reason for this was the further expansion of the attractive route network: The number of airlines offering scheduled services in Munich increased from 91 to 97. At the same time, seven new destinations were added, bringing the total to 247, and flights were available to 70 different countries – two more than in 2014.
The official opening of the new satellite terminal in about a month will also mark the start of a new stage of development for Munich Airport. Airport CEO Kerkloh described what passengers can now look forward to: “As one of the world’s most advanced passenger facilities, the satellite terminal will offer passengers pleasant surroundings, a wide range of shopping and dining options, and outstanding travel convenience in attractive and spacious areas flooded with natural light.”
Growth in airfreight was even more dynamic than in the passenger segment in 2015. The cargo tonnage was up by about 9 percent to a new record level of over 336,000 tons. The number of aircraft movements increased by about 1 percent to approximately 380,000. This trend will gain momentum in 2016: Based on slot reservations to date, an increase of 4 percent in the number of take-offs and landings is expected in 2016. That represents about 15,000 additional aircraft movements.”
For the fourth year in a row, Munich can report a new record for the average load factor of aircraft using the airport. Although the total number of seats offered by airlines increased yet again in 2015, the load factor rose by 0.7 percentage points to 77 percent.
