Vienna airport's profit rises 3.2 per cent on stronger traffic

Mar 24, 2011, 8:54 GMT

Vienna - Flughafen Wien Group, Vienna's airport, increased its net profit by 3.2 per cent last year because passenger numbers picked up, the company reported Thursday.

The airport made a net profit of 76 million euros (107 million dollars) in 2010.

Vienna serves as an important hub for Central and Eastern Europe. Passenger numbers to destinations in that region rose 13.6 per cent, as traffic increased especially to Moscow, Bucharest, Sofia and Belgrade.

Overall, passenger numbers went up 8.7 per cent.

At the same time, revenue grew 6.4 per cent to 534 million euros.

Growth in the company's operating profit lagged behind, rising only 2.8 per cent to 102 million euros.

The operating result was burdened by a cost-sharing plan between the airport and its biggest clients, Austrian Airlines and NIKI, to achieve long-term growth.

The company said it plans to complete a new terminal this year. The project has caused a scandal because total costs have more than doubled to nearly 1 billion euros.

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