Sydney Airport operator MAp Group has reported a 7 percent increase in earnings for the year attributing to passenger traffic, which also rose 19.5 percent.

In an emailed report, MAp said earnings stood at $323.4 million for the nine months to September 2010. On the other hand, total earnings before interest, tax, amortisation and depreciation (EBITDA) rose 15.7 percent to $597.5 million compared with the previous corresponding period. Thus, EBITDA margin was 70.2 percent, up from 69.3 per cent in the first half of the year.

Sydney Airport has recorded a year-to-date traffic growth of nine percent on the back of a strong Australian dollar increasing demand for for more outbound travel demand, MAp said.

The traffic performance also supported retail revenue with 11.7 per cent growth year to date.

MAp chief executive Kerrie Mather said in a statement: "Sydney Airport delivered 14.2 percent EBITDA growth for the first nine months of 2010 and underlying growth at Copenhagen and Brussels airports, adjusting for one off items such as the ash cloud-related closure, was 11 percent and 5.6 percent respectively.

"Both Sydney and Copenhagen have set traffic records in recent months whilst growth accelerated in the third quarter at Brussels."

In spite the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud closure and an air traffic control strike in September, Copenhagen traffic grew 8.2 percent, while Brussels Airport's grew 2.9 percent.