AdP reveals expansion plans for 2008

French airport group Aéroports de Paris (AdP) has revealed further details of its half-year results and plans to accelerate retail expansion. The company, which announced an increase of 9% in revenues earlier this month, said that operating income grew by 13.6% to €209.2m ($285.8m) compared to same period in 2006, while EBIDTA rose by 8.5% to €354m ($483.5m) in the interval. The statement added that its retail business "grew at a satisfying pace (+5.6%), notably at duty-free shops".

AdP chairman and CEO Pierre Graff said: "Our first-half results are strong. With the CDGVal light train line entering service in April and the opening of the Parisian Gallery in June, Aéroports de Paris is pursuing its strategy of increasing passenger handling capacity, improving service quality and developing retail activities. We also announce the acceleration of our plan to expand retail areas, with an extra 2,365 square metres added to our original development plan by 2008."

Graff added that AdP is also raising its estimates of passenger traffic growth to between 4% and 4.4%. The company's statement also said that AdP's joint venture with Aelia, Société de Distribution Aéroportuaire, which operates shops specialising in alcohol, tobacco, fragrances, cosmetics and gourmet foods, reported an 82.2% increase in current operating income to €4.1m ($5.6m) "thanks to robust sales in duty-free shops and the expansion of its scope of business to Paris-CDG terminal 3 and Paris-Orly as of 1 January 2007".