AGM Statement

TBI PLC 4 August 2000 Contact: Keith Brooks, Chief Executive Caroline Price, Finance Director TBI plc 020 7408 7300 David Bick Holborn Public Relations 020 7929 5599 david.bick@holbornpr.co.uk TBI plc AGM STATEMENT In his address to shareholders at today's Annual General Meeting, Stanley Thomas, the Chairman, said: 'The disposal of our commercial property portfolio in June last year, followed by the acquisition of AGI last September, has transformed TBI into a leading and highly focused owner, operator and manager of regional airports. 'We continue to examine opportunities to make further airport acquisitions which meet our usual strict criteria in our core territories of Europe and the Americas. We will also look to dispose of peripheral equity interests in airports where we are unlikely to become the principal operator, but have an opportunity to crystallise increases in capital value. An example of this was the disposal in March of over half of our interest in the Northern Territory Airports in Australia for around £8.2m, a 22% premium to the original price paid for that part of the stake. 'Following the announcement last November of a 20 year management contract for Juan Santamaria International, Costa Rica's main airport, we now expect to complete detailed negotiations very soon and financially close the deal by the end of this calendar year. 'Overall in the first three months of the current financial year to the end of June, the group's trading performance has been in line with expectations. 'Passenger numbers during this period have shown impressive gains with increases of 5% at Belfast, 14% at Cardiff, 16% at Orlando Sanford and 23% at Stockholm Skavsta, although the latter is still experiencing soft cargo volumes. 'Belfast is enjoying a 30% increase in cargo volume year on year and a 20,000 sq.ft. facility has been built for the freight forwarder, City Link. easyJet has announced that, from Autumn 2000, it will be doubling its Belfast to Liverpool frequency from 3 to 6 flights a day and increasing the number of Belfast to London Luton flights from 4 to 5 a day. 'At Cardiff, British Regional Airlines, operating services for British Airways, has started a Dublin service timed to link conveniently with an Aer Lingus service to New York, has increased the number of flights to Glasgow from 3 to 4 and has introduced jets on to its Paris and Brussels routes. Also at Cardiff, KLM has increased the number of flights to Amsterdam from 4 to 5 a day. 'In Sweden, we look forward to receiving Government ratification regarding Skavsta's status as Stockholm's second airport. 'At Orlando Sanford we have a new 30 year agreement to run the domestic terminal and the new facility should be fully operational by the autumn. This will mean that Orlando Sanford will have more than 60 check in desks, 12 air gates and flexible usage between the international and domestic terminals. 'We now have an expanded management team with a large skills base, a strategic collection of airport interests capable of further performance improvement and a healthy balance sheet. This is a very encouraging combination of factors for the future.'
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