A record number of passengers passed through Copenhagen Airport in 2012, despite a reduction in the number of flights. Over 23 million passengers passed through the airport in 2012, up 2.7 percent from the year before.

A 7.3 percent increase in international transfers and a 10.2 percent rise in the number of intercontinental passengers contributed to the increase, according to Thomas Woldbye, the managing director of Copenhagen Airport.

The development the airport’s position as the "most important traffic hub in northern Europe,” Woldbye said.

December, however, which traditionally is a busy travel month, saw a 0.4 percent decline compared with the same period in 2011, a development the airport attributed to people taking long winter breaks away from Denmark and not returning until early 2013.

The news of the passenger records came as a surprise considering that the European air-travel business suffered several bankruptcies in 2012, including Danish regional carrier Cimber Sterling. But the passenger rise suggested that airlines were flying with larger and more efficiently filled airplanes.

London remained the top passenger destination for Copenhagen Airport travellers in 2012, with over 133,000 passengers, followed by Oslo (95,597) and Stockholm (90,955).

July was the busiest month, with over 2.3 million passengers, followed by June (2.2 million) and August (2.14 million) while January was the quietest, with only 1.58 million passengers.

Just a month ago, the airport completed at 225 million kroner construction project aimed at accomodating the rise in foreign passengers.