Munich Airport has reported a successful 2018 operating year at its annual press conference in Munich. The 3.8% increase in traffic to a total of 46.3 million passengers flying to and from Munich, and the resulting gains in aviation and non-aviation revenues had a decisive impact on the increase in Group sales, which – based on preliminary figures – topped the €1.5 billion mark for the first time.
EBITDA also surged to a new all-time high of €535 million. The airport operating company – the FMG Group – finished off the past year with earnings after taxes (EAT) of €150 million. Cash flow from operations improved by €80 million to €465 million. With equity of over €2.2 billion, the equity ratio, at 41.3%, exceeded 40% for the first time.
The biggest factor behind the dynamic traffic trend at Munich Airport in 2018 was the increase in passenger numbers on international routes. The main growth driver was the intercontinental segment, which experienced a 7 percent increase, thanks in large part to Lufthansa’s decision to station five Airbus A380 aircraft in Munich. The world’s largest airliner has over 500 seats and carried approximately 900,000 Lufthansa passengers in its first year in operation. Also contributing to the renewal of the long-haul fleet in Munich was the Airbus A350. By July of this year, Lufthansa will have 15 of these fuel-saving and extremely quiet widebody jets stationed in Munich. The strong demand in the intercontinental segment contributed to yet another increase in the average aircraft load factor at the Bavarian hub: With an average of 77.5% of all seats filled on arriving and departing flights, the airport achieved the highest quota in its history.
