A turn up for the books in Balearics

18/01/2013 00:00

Palma de Majorca.The Spanish National Airports Authority (AENA) reported yesterday that around 22.7 million travellers made their way through Palma airport in 2011, an increase of 7.6 percent in comparison with 2010 when there had been a disappointing slump (of 0.4%) in passenger numbers; Ibiza airport had a record number of 5.6 million people using its facilities, 12% more than in 2010; and 2.5 million passengers were registered at Minorca airport, 2.6% more than in 2010. Of the 22.7 million people using Palma airport, 6.2 million were national and 16.4 million international passengers, an increase of 0.5 and 10.6 percent respectively in comparison with 2010.

On Ibiza, the airport's record 5.6 million passengers were made up of 2.3 million national and 3.2 million international visitors, a year-on-year growth of 10 and 13.7 percent respectively.

Ibiza also achieved an historic record in the number of aircraft operations it handled last year - a total of 61'767 - 8.4 percent more than in 2010.
On Minorca, of the 2.5 million passengers using the island's airport last year, 1.3 million were national (down 1% in comparison with 2010), whilst the 1.1 million foreign visitors were a 7.5% increase.

The Airports Authority said that analysing figures for the month of December 2011, it was only Ibiza which registered growth in passenger numbers for the year (6.3% more than the same month in 2010.) Palma airport had 7.9 % less travellers than in 2010.