AAP Alpha Airports

RNS Number:6417W
Alpha Airports Group PLC
30 May 2002

                                                                     30 May 2002

                             ALPHA AIRPORTS GROUP PLC
                               AGM TRADING UPDATE


At the Annual General Meeting of ALPHA Airports Group Plc to be held today, the
retiring Chairman, Rodney Galpin, will make the following comments:-


"Trading in the first few months of the current year has been in line with our
expectations and airline passenger numbers continue to recover from the
significantly lower levels following September 11th.  In the first quarter,
meals sold in our UK Flight services division are running 8% down on a
like-for-like basis compared to the same period last year.  Our UK Duty Free
Retail business has continued to grow sales by 11% on a like-for-like basis,
with an overall 49% increase in sales largely driven from our new shops at
Manchester T2/T3.  This 11% improvement has been achieved on a 5% increase in
international departing passengers, reflecting the on-going growth of the
low-cost airlines operating through our regional airport network.



In UK Flight Services, we are pleased to announce the award of a 3 year £17
million per annum contract by the newly formed BA CitiExpress to provide
catering services from 14 kitchen locations around the UK and Ireland.   In
addition, Britannia Airways has decided to pursue a full back-catering approach
on all European services from the UK, which will increase ALPHA's supply of
meals to Britannia by 49% and provide a 4% overall UK volume gain.  This full
back-catering contract commences from the beginning of August.



Within our Australian Flight Services business, we have purchased from the
Ansett administrators the rights to the closed Ansett flight kitchens in Sydney,
Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin, Cairns and Brisbane.  We are now actively
pursuing both domestic and international airline clients for these excellent
flight kitchens.



The markets in which ALPHA operates are still recovering from the effects of
September 11th.  Although it is anticipated that this will have an impact on our
first half performance, ALPHA believes its expectations for 2002/03 will be
achieved."



Enquiries:


ALPHA Airports Group Plc
Kevin Abbott, Chief Executive                                 Tel: 020 8580 3200
Heather McRae, Finance Director

Gavin Anderson & Company
Laura Hickman                                                 Tel: 020 7554 1400
Amelia Hine





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