Bratislava airport concluded year 2011 with increased revenue

26. 01. 2012 - Bratislava airport offered 32 scheduled and 36 non-scheduled destinations

Year 2011 was a year of consolidation for Bratislava airport. Airport witnessed very positive trend in increased demand for charter flights, charter traffic grew continuously more than 10% each main summer season months. Historical success was reached also in volume of carried cargo that continuously grew throughout the whole year up to the volume of 20 530 tons. New incentive scheme towards airline carriers resulted into new connections to new destinations with Czech Airlines, Norwegian (coming in summer 2012) and UT Air.

Cargo historical success

“We evaluate year 2011 as a year of various organizational and procedural changes and preparation for year 2012, which we consider to be a year of challenges and capitalization. Evaluated year was also a year of financial consolidation, which resulted into decline of operating cost by 5% and on the other hand increase of revenues from aviation business by 8% to almost 20mil EUR, despite modest decrease of passenger by 4,8%. Airport registered 1 585 064 passengers on 32 scheduled and 36 charter destinations. We are happy to report that new carrier UT Air opened its operation to Moscow Vnukovo airport and increased route frequencies from 4 to recent 7 and managed to increase seating capacity at the end of the year by placing bigger aircraft to Bratislava. We have recorded historical success in carried volume of cargo, increasing volume to almost 21 thousand tons. Next year we believe we will manage to materialize our preparation activities and offer wider portfolio of destinations and quality services to our clients also thanks to opening of the second part of new passenger terminal,” stated Maroš Jančula, CEO of Bratislava Airport.

In 2011, Bratislava airport carried on departure and arrival together 1 585 064 passengers, from which 1 122 907 were on scheduled flights from and to Bratislava. 457 735 passengers chose air trips along with accommodation from offers of tour operators and 4 422 passengers used the other type of air transport (private jet, rescue flights, government flights etc.) Start of the year in international traffic reproduced statistics from 2010, unfortunately total number of passengers (-4,8%) was negatively influenced by domestic traffic, which registered decrease by 20%. Comparing scheduled and non-scheduled transportation we evaluate positively increase of Slovak client demand for charter flights from Bratislava, where we registered year on year increase by 17% in July alone. Year-round non-scheduled flight registered positive grow of 7%, despite of disturbances in several Arabic states, which caused several tens of cancelled flights.

Airport’s most passengers (amount) were carried in month of July, in total of 251 024 passengers. Busiest day was 4^th of August when Bratislava airport carried through its carriers 10 029 passengers.

Airport Bratislava offered in past year 32 scheduled destinations by 7 different carriers. Newly opened destinations were Las Palmas, Paris (Charles de Gaule), Amsterdam, Moscow, Barcelona, Brussels and Larnaca. Major passenger demand was for scheduled flights of Irish carrier Ryanair, which managed to safely carry more than million passengers. Most wanted destination was London followed by Milano and Dublin. Charter flight to 36 destinations were provided by 12 different carriers, majority of charter passengers were carried by Travel Service (316 009). Last year newcomer to charter aviation in Bratislava airport was Denim air providing flights to Faro destination. Most desired charter destination was again last year’s top charter destination Antalya, which replaced in 2010 former most popular destination Hurghada. Antalya destination was visited by 125 901 passengers from Bratislava airport increasing year by year by more than 50%.

Very positive development was registered in volume of carried cargo. Yearly carried 20 530 tons overcame last year record by 2 813 tons, increasing yearly carried volume of cargo by 16% versus year 2010. International carried cargo registered yearly increase by 38%. This major increase was caused mainly due to DHL carrier by introducing complementary (to Leipzig – Bratislava – Sofia) scheduled route from Brussels to Bratislava with B 737-300F aircraft.

Prospect of 2012

2012 is viewed by Bratislava airport as a year of challenges “Last year, we have introduced several significant system changes. This year is time to capitalize on those changes and simultaneously invest time, resources and effort to build stable position mainly in the aviation field. Last 12 months we have managed to implement necessary changes toward our passengers and wide public, carriers and aviation market, as well as in the field of non-aviation business and development of ancillary revenues as selling of advertisement space. We have launched new web site, started interactive communication through social networks and key channels in foreign countries. We have introduced Bratislava airport’s first ever incentive program for carriers, that was inspirational also for other airports in Europe. Attractiveness of our new incentive program was shortly confirmed by opening of more than 10 air connections. Airport Bratislava started to profile as smart and flexible option to Vienna airport, which is placing burden on carriers addressing price sensitive passengers through ecological taxes, non-transparent charges policy and night flight restrictions. Increased numbers of business passengers were provided with possibility to buy entry into VIP lounge, without the necessity of owning loyalty cards or programs. We sold out our terminal and prepared business strategy for its second part, opening in July 2012. Airport enhanced cooperation with travel agents and actively started year 2012 by presenting airport at ITF Slovakia in front of 70 000 visitors,” evaluates year 2011 and reveals view of 2012 Tomáš Kika, CCO of Bratislava Airport.

In realization part, priority of Bratislava airport for 2012 is finishing of construction of second phase of new terminal according to time schedule in main summer season to provide seasonal passengers with new representative premises.

Concluding from reports of international Air Transport Association (IATA) claiming 15% increase of demand for air traffic in Slovakian market, Bratislava airport assumes an increase of passenger in 2012.

Year 2011 – main statistical data

TOP 3 destinations (scheduled transport)

TOP 3 destinations (non-scheduled transport)

TOP 3 air carriers (scheduled transport)

TOP 3 air carriers (non-scheduled transport)

*red colour – increase of passengers 2011 / 2010

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