Tuesday, Mexican airport operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte, S.A.B. de C.V. or OMA (OMAB), said its September passenger traffic dropped 7.5%, hurt by route cancellation, reductions in flight frequencies, price adjustments, and other actions to fight rising fuel costs and highly competitive environment.
Monterrey, Mexico-based OMA's total passenger traffic in September, at its 13 airports, declined 7.5%, affected by the reduction in frequencies by Aviacsa and VivaAerobus, the suspension of Aerocalifornia, and the departure of Avolar from the OMA airports where it operated.
Domestic traffic was down 7% to 0.85 million from 0.91 million in the prior-year period. International traffic decreased 10.8% to 128thousand from 143 thousand a year ago.
Monterrey, OMA's principal airport, served about 492 thousand passengers in September, a decrease of 5.3% compared to the same month of 2007. Domestic traffic at Monterrey airport decreased 6.0% principally as a result of a lower volume of traffic on Aviacsa and the cancellation of some flight frequencies by VivaAerobus. International traffic decreased 1.2%, affected by a reduction in flight frequencies by Continental.
Acapulco, OMA's third largest airport, recorded growth of 3.6% in September. Domestic traffic increased 7.3% as a result of higher passenger traffic to and from Toluca and general aviation. International traffic declined 24.2% principally due to a reduction in traffic to Los Angeles, Houston, and Phoenix.
The Reynosa's September total passenger traffic increased 24.9%, largely because of the performance of Volaris, Click Mexicana, and Alma.
Year-to-date, total passenger traffic rose 2.9% to 10.92 million from 10.61 million in the same period a year ago.
OMAB closed Tuesday's regular trading session at $8.92, down $0.78 or 8.04%. However, the stock gained 23 cents in the after-hour trade.
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