OHRID AIRPORT IS THE SECOND FASTEST GROWING IN EUROPE IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2016
This recognition for the airport managed by TAV Macedonia comes from ACI Europe, that in its last report notes and increase in passengers’ traffic number of 173,9% and is listed as the second fastest growing airport in the group of airports under 5 million passengers per year
Ohrid airport "St Paul the Apostle" is the second fastest growing airport in Europe in the first three months of this year in the category of less than 5 million passengers per year. This recognition for the airport, managed by "TAV Macedonia", comes from ACI Europe (Airports Council International for Europe region), which in its latest report has noted increased number of passengers on the "St. Apostle Paul" by 173.9% for the first quarter of 2016.
-This significant growth of 173,9% on the number of passengers in the first quarter at St. Paul the Apostle, measured by ACI, out of the touristic season in Ohrid, is firstly due to the increased new routes last year at Ohrid Airport for Basel, Zurich and London. We expect the growth to continue until the end of the year, having on mind the current charter-flights in the main touristic season where the biggest are passengers from Holland, but also due to the new regular route Ohrid-Belgrade that we will introduce in June together with Air Serbia, as well as the new charter flights Ohrid-Tel Aviv with the Israeli airline Arkia and Ohrid-Brussels with the biggest European tour operator Thomas Cook, which will also start as of next month, stated Zoran Krstevski, TAV Macedonia General Manager.
The report of ACI Europe applies to all civilian passenger flights (regular, low-cost and charter flights) and includes 206 airports that are taking 88 percent of the European air transport of passengers. According to the report, the European airport traffic in the first quarter of this year grew by 7.8%.
-Europe’s airports have delivered an excellent performance in terms of passenger traffic over the first quarter of 2016. While the additional day in February and Easter happening in March helped, the magnitude of the traffic increase at many airports has defied economic gravity. To some extent, it has also flown in the face of an increasingly adverse geopolitical and security environment. As long as these risks remain in check and with oil set to remain affordable, we remain positive about the traffic outlook for the rest of the year. The fact that airports are now keenly focused on improving their competitive positions and are fighting to attract new traffic also plays an important – and often overlooked – role in maintaining the growth momentum, said Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE.
The fastest growing airport in Europe in the category of less than 5 million passengers per year is the airport in the Belgian city of Liege, where there is an increase of 275.4% of the passengers number in the first quarter of this year. Among the top five ranked airports in Europe, behind the airports in Liege and Ohrid are ranked Ostend in Belgium (136,6%), Santorini in Greece (127,1%) and Oradea in Romania (70,7%). Overall, European airport traffic in this category in the first quarter of this year grew by 8.9%.
TAV Macedonia ended 2015 with 22% increase in the total number of passengers at both Macedonian airports – Skopje Alexander the Great and Ohrid St. Paul the Apostle, reaching 1.560.381 passengers. At the same time, the total number of operations was 15.510, with an increase of 11%.
The trend of increased traffic continues this year as well. In the first 4 months of 2016 through both Macedonian airports were transported 486.968 passengers, with a growth of 28% compared to the same period in 2015. In the same time, the number of operations (takeoffs and landings) at the both airports is increased by 15%.