Airport passenger traffic grows by 25% in February

Malta International Airport recorded a 25.2% increase in passenger traffic in February when compared to the same month last year. In total, 296,250 passengers made their way through the airport, making February the fourth consecutive winter month to register double-digit growth.

On the busiest day in February, which coincided with Carnival weekend, the airport saw a total of 13,679 passengers passing through the terminal.

Growth in passenger numbers was experienced in parallel with an upturn of 22.3% in aircraft movements and an increase of 29.4% in seat capacity. Standing at 76.8%, seat load factor (SLF), however, registered a decrease of 2.6 percentage points over last year.

Malta International Airport’s top markets remained largely unchanged from January, with the United Kingdom being the most popular market, followed by Italy, Germany, Belgium, and France. 

Furthermore, Spain and Poland were important contributors to February’s total traffic, accounting for 12,435 passengers and 8,253 passengers, respectively.

According to MIA, both of these markets have been experiencing steady growth, following increased efforts to redevelop the Spanish market and enhance connectivity to Eastern Europe.

The maximum take-off weight at the airport also experienced a 30% growth to reach 96,282 tonnes, while the weight of cargo and mail increased by 25.5% to reach 1,359 tonnes.