A promising take-off for the start of the year

PALMA's Son Sant Joan airport increased its passenger traffic by 18.4 percent in February this year, compared to the same month in 2003.
In real terms, the growth represents 138'512 extra travellers totalling 890'473, thanks to the 27.66 percent increase in visitors from Germany (314'481 altogether). Other areas in Spain also contributed to the burgeoning flurry of inbound passengers, with a rise of 16.64 percent in this sector, totalling 435'028. ccording to the Spanish Airports Authority (AENA), there were 9'465 aircraft operations at Son Sant Joan, an increase of 13.3 percent. Freight traffic, meanwhile, decreased by 2.9 percent, down to 1'378 tonnes. n the first two months of the year, an extra 178'822 passengers passed through Palma airport (up 12.78 percent) than in the same period in 2003, totalling 1'577'903 travellers. This growth is due above all to the fact that in January and February, there were a further 89'730 German visitors (21.07 percent), reaching a total of 515'611 passengers. imilarly, the growth is attributable to an extra 75'512 visitors to the Islands from other parts of Spain in the first two months of the year (10.25 percent more), totalling 814'485 passengers. These figures contrast with the fall in the number of passengers coming from the United Kingdom, since in February, UK visitors fell by 0.21 percent (190 passengers less) to a total of 89'577. Evertheless, in the first two months of the year, Son Sant Joan registered an extra 6'473 British passengers (4.14 percent), reaching a total of 162'868 visitors in January and February.