Achieving the highest monthly traffic volume since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Frankfurt Airport (FRA) welcomed some 3.4 million passengers in October 2021. This represents an increase of 218.5 percent year-on-year, albeit compared to a very weak October 2020. The recovery in passenger traffic continued to be driven mainly by holiday travel to European destinations.
FRA’s passenger traffic rebounded to more than half of the pre-pandemic level reported in October 2019 (down 47.2 percent).1 During the January-to-October 2021 period, a total of some 19.2 million passengers traveled via Frankfurt Airport. Compared to the same period last year, this represents an 11.5 percent increase over 2020, and a 68.3 percent decline over 2019.
Cargo throughput, comprising airfreight and airmail, continued to grow noticeably by 10.0 percent year-on-year to 200,187 metric tons in the reporting month (up 11.7 percent compared to October 2019). Aircraft movements climbed 75.4 percent year-on-year to 30,004 takeoffs and landings in October 2021. Accumulated maximum takeoff weights (MTOWs) increased by 63.1 percent year-on-year to nearly 1.9 million metric tons.
Fraport’s Group airports worldwide also continued their positive passenger trend in October 2021. Most of them achieved significant passenger growth. Traffic volumes at some airports even rose by over 100 percent year-on-year, albeit compared to strongly reduced traffic levels in October 2020. Compared to pre-pandemic October 2019, the majority of the airports in Fraport’s international portfolio still registered lower passenger figures. However, some Group airports serving high-demand tourist destinations – such as the Greek airports or Antalya Airport on the Turkish Riviera – saw traffic rebound to over 90 percent of the pre-crisis level recorded in October 2019. St Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport in Russia even posted a 5.7 percent traffic increase in the reporting month compared to October 2019.
Slovenia’s Ljubljana Airport (LJU) welcomed 57,338 passengers in October 2021. In Brazil, combined traffic at the two airports of Fortaleza (FOR) and Porto Alegre (POA) rose to 908,553 passengers. Lima Airport (LIM) in Peru served some 1.2 million passengers in the reporting month. At the 14 Greek regional airports, total traffic advanced to about 2.4 million passengers. The Twin Star airports of Burgas (BOJ) and Varna (VAR) on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast also reported traffic gains, serving a total of 111,922 passengers in October 2021. Antalya Airport (AYT) in Turkey had about 3.8 million passengers. More than 1.8 million passengers used Pulkovo Airport (LED) in St. Petersburg, while China’s Xi’an Airport (XIY) welcomed around 1.9 million passengers in the reporting month.
1 Editorial note: For enhanced statistical comparison, our reporting of the 
Communications Manager - Cargo and Ground Handling (on parental leave)
Fraport AG
Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide
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