Frankfurt – Almost 4.6 million passengers passed through Germany’s largest airport near Frankfurt in January, up 7.6 per cent on the year, according to figures released by the operating company Fraport on Tuesday.
The figure was a record for the month, the company said, adding that the gaps created in the German market by the bankruptcy of Air Berlin had been closed. The budget carrier initiated insolvency proceedings in August.
New routes to European destinations led to an increase in flight movements of 8.6 per cent, with additional routes provided by budget carriers Ryanair and Wizz leading the rise.
Among the new offerings were classical holiday destinations around the Mediterranean, including Turkey, where there was evident growth for the first time since the start of the financial crisis.
Long-haul routes grew less strongly at 2.6 per cent, although there was a rise in flights to South Korea ahead of the Winter Olympics.