MEXICO CITY -(Dow Jones)- Mexican airport operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico (PAC) said Wednesday its total passenger traffic fell 5.6% in 2008 from the previous year to 22.3 million, as domestic traffic waned.
Domestic traffic fell 7.1% to 14.6 million passengers, while international passenger traffic fell 2.5% to 7.6 million, the company, known as GAP, said in a press release.
GAP enjoyed a strong start to 2008, but saw its passenger traffic begin a sharp decline when high fuel costs forced many domestic airlines to reduce capacity, or go out of business altogether.
By the time oil prices started to retreat in the third and fourth quarters, the damage was already done and GAP was frequently seeing double-digit percentage declines in monthly passenger traffic.
The company said Wednesday it expects total passenger traffic to fall by an additional 3% to 5% this year "due to recent events in the aeronautical sector during the past few months ... as well as the adverse economic environment."
In December, total traffic at GAP's 12 airports fell 17% to 1.8 million passengers. Domestic traffic was down 20% at 1.1 million, while international traffic fell 11% to 663,200.
GAP's locally traded B shares closed 2.8% lower at 29.99 pesos ($2.23) on Wednesday.
-By Paul Kiernan, Dow Jones Newswires; (5255)5001-5726; paul.kiernan@dowjones.com
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Publié le 07 janvier 2009 Copyright © 2009 Dowjones