OREANDA-NEWS. January 23, 2013. Passenger traffic of Basel Aero airports (Sochi, Krasnodar, Gelendzhik and Anapa), which are a part of Basic Element, one of Russia's largest diversified industrial groups, in five years increased by 1.5 times and reached about 5.5 million of people in 2012.

Since 2007, passenger traffic at the airports of Basel Aero has increased by 1.5 times. At the end of 2012 about 5.5 mln of passengers (2% growth by 2011) used Basel Aero airports. In 2007, when Basel Aero was founded, passenger traffic in the Southern Russia airports amounted to 3.6 mln of people.

The most part of passenger traffic (over 85%) in 2012 went to two major Basel Aero airports - Krasnodar (about 2.6 mln people, growth compared to 2011 - 3%) and Sochi (more than 2.1 mln people, growth - 2 %). This is due to the large business and tourist activity in these cities, as well as preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

In 2012 the highest growth of passenger traffic Basel Aero group of airports demonstrated at international destinations, having served more than 936,000 passengers, which is 21% more than in 2011. On domestic routes, there was a slight decrease in passenger traffic by 1% (in total about 4.6 million passengers) compared to 2011.

In 2012 Anapa International Airport achieved the best results on passenger traffic growth among the group’s airports. In 2012 this airport served in total more than 587,000 people, which is 12% more passengers than a year before.

The best result on international flights was demonstrated by Gelendzhik Airport, where the growth of passenger traffic in 2012 was 27% compared to the same period in 2011. In Krasnodar International Airport passenger traffic on international routes increased by 23%, in Sochi International Airport – by 16%.

Significant growth of passenger traffic on international flights at Basel Aero airports is associated with both newly opened destinations and increased frequency of flights.

Last year, eight newcoming carriers began operating its flights from the group’s airports. The following new direct flights are opened: from Sochi International Airport - to Kiev (Ukraine), Istanbul (Turkey) and Dushanbe (Tajikistan), from Krasnodar International Airport - to Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Monastir (Tunisia), Pathos and Heraklion (Greece), Aqaba (Jordan), Gyumri (Armenia), Baku (Azerbaijan), Rome (Italy), Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Nha Trang (Vietnam), Bangkok (Thailand) and Barcelona (Spain), from Anapa International Airport – to Yerevan (Armenia). Business aviation flights to international destinations were operating in Gelendzhik Airport.