Fraport expects 2009 operating profit to fall by 15 percent from a year earlier, the company said on Tuesday after reporting first-quarter results that were in line with expectations.

Full-year earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) would slump to between EUR500 million euros (USD$680 million) and EUR530 million this year as demand for air travel dropped amid the global economic crisis.

In the first quarter, the German airport operator's EBITDA fell 15.6 percent to EUR99.8 million.

Fraport has already said it expects full-year 2009 earnings and sales to decline as the global economic crisis continues to stunt business travel and consumer spending.

At its main airport in Frankfurt, passenger volume would shrink by 6-9 percent this year, Fraport said. The recent outbreak of H1N1 swine flu could further weigh on demand, it said.