ASUR half-year revenue stable despite H1N1 outbreak

Nicole Mezzasalma

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The Mexican airports group recorded an increase of nearly 8% in commercial revenue in the first half of 2009

Mexican airports operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste (ASUR) recorded a slight fall in total revenue of 0.9% to Ps1.33bn ($100.5m) in the first six months of 2009 compared with the same period the previous year. Aeronautical revenue was down by 3.9% as a result of a 14.5% decline in passenger traffic to 9.6m in the first half of the year, accentuated in the second quarter of 2009 by the outbreak of the H1N1 influenza virus in Mexico. EBITDA fell by 2.5% to Ps1.09bn ($82.4m) in the six months ending June 30 2009.

ASUR said in a statement: “For the second quarter of 2009, total passenger traffic fell by 26.8% year on year. International passenger traffic was down by 30.6%, while domestic passenger traffic dropped by 21.6%. The reduction in international passenger traffic resulted mainly from a decline of 31.3% in international traffic at Cancún airport.”

A 7.7% rise in commercial revenue to Ps502.7m ($38m) helped to offset the fall in passenger numbers, boosted by an 11.3% increase in duty-free sales and a 9.4% rise in revenue from retail operations. Total commercial revenue per passenger was up by 26.4% to Ps60.07 ($4.54) in the first six months of 2009.