Extension works for Athens International Airport approach as passenger traffic soars

Athens International Airport “El. Venizelos” recorded its highest increase for this year, as, according to AIA’s data, passenger traffic went up by 15.3%. At the same time, it is the very first time, for this month of the year, that the 2-million-passenger barrier breaks. The traffic recorded was 2.160.629 passengers (compared to 1.87mln last year). The growth of domestic flights (699k or +9.9%) was also very positive, after the first three months of 2018, when a downward trend was observed.

May also brought a double-digit increase in international passenger traffic, with 1.46mln passengers (+18.1%). The numbers are impressive indeed and, overall, the Airport, in the first 5 months of the year, has recorded an average increase of 10.9%.

This, of course, suggests that a very powerful summer season is coming, that will culminate in August, with AIA being benefit considerably.

Overall, for the period between January and May 2018, the traffic of the Airport exceeded 8mln passengers (8.02mln to be exact / +10.9%), with domestic traffic recording a slight increase (+1.2%) and the international traffic significant growth (+16.2%).

AIA is undoubtedly experiencing an era of great success, just a few weeks before the initiation of the construction works for the first small-scale extension of the existing terminal, a project which will be the precursor of the large investment that would be the large expansion of the facilities, when the airport reaches the theshold of 26mln passengers.

If the current pace is maintained, “El. Venizelos” could break the 24-mln-passenger barrier this year, and, in 2019 the absolute limit of 26mln passengers, meaning that we will soon have developments around the expansion plan and an upcoming tender.

At the same time, we are waiting for Brussels’ response on the cost of the 20-year extension of today’s concession contract, as well as the planned sale of an additional 30% stake to private investors (today they hold 45%), with the estimated price, given the rapid growth of the airport, exceeding 1bn euros.

Nikos Karagiannis-ypodomes.com

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