(RTTNews) - Mexican airports operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte, S.A.B. de C.V., or OMA, (OMAB: News ) Wednesday reported a 16.8% decline in terminal passenger traffic at its 13 airports for September, compared to the same month last year. Domestic and international traffic declined 16.4% and 19.4%, respectively.

Total terminal passengers, those include passengers on commercial, charter, and general aviation and exclude passengers in transit, declined 16.8% to 812 thousand for the month from 976 thousand in the previous year. Domestic passengers declined 16.4% to 709 thousand and international passengers declined 19.4% to 103 thousand.

Year-to-date, total passengers declined 20.1% to 8.72 million from 10.92 million last year. Domestic traffic declined 19.0% to 7.35 million and international traffic declined 25.5% to 1.37 million.

OMA noted that the domestic traffic decline is principally due to the suspension of airline Aviacsa since July 6, 2009 and the departure from the markets of Alma and Aladia. The Monterrey, Acapulco, and Ciudad Juarez airports had the largest traffic reductions, the company reported. However, the Culiacan, Durango, and Mazatlan airports reported domestic traffic growth of 10.0%, 4.7%, and 3.1%, respectively.
International traffic, the company said, decreased mainly due to the cancellation of international routes by Mexicana and Aeromexico, the suspension of Aviacsa, the departure of Aladia and a reduction in passengers on several of the international carriers. Monterrey, Mazatlan, and Chihuahua were the most affected.

The total number of flight operations in September 2009 were also down 10.9%, compared to September 2008.

OMAB last traded on Tuesday at $12.43 on the Nasdaq.

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by RTT Staff Writer

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