BRNO AIRPORT celebrates a new milestone: It handled more than 600,000 passengers for the first time last year, a 46% increase on the previous year
BRNO AIRPORT enjoyed a successful 2023, handling a total of 686,867 passengers. In doing so, it surpassed its previous record of 558,000 passengers in 2011. The summer season proved particularly popular, with nearly 550,000 travellers passing through the airport between June and September, close to a 50% increase on the same period in 2022. The most frequented destinations included the ever-popular London, plus the seaside resorts of Antalya, Marsa Alam, Burgas and Hurghada. In total, flyers could choose from 29 destinations.
“Last year was undoubtedly a crucial one for us, only further demonstrating that people enjoy travelling from Brno and that the airport has become a popular choice for passengers. I’m delighted that the range of destinations to which it is now possible to fly from Brno is continually expanding and I have no doubt that we will continue in the same vein this year,” said Jiří Filip, member of the board at BRNO AIRPORT a.s.
July and August – traditional recording breaking months
Once again, London was the most popular destination for airline passengers. The regular, year-round route to Stansted was used by more than 100,000 flyers over the course of the year. Second place was occupied by Antalya in Turkey, followed by Marsa Alamand the summer resort of Hurghada, both in Egypt, plus Burgas, Bulgaria. A second regular link to Bergamo, Italy was used by nearly 20,000 passengers in the period between March and October. The total number of aircraft movements at Brno Airport rose to just over 25,000.
“The most recent summer season was a record one for us, whilst also being extremely demanding. I am pleased that we were able to successfully cope with this influx of passengers, which peaked during the summer months,” added Filip, confirming that the highest number of travellers ever passed through the airport during July and August – just under 320,000.
Last year’s new destinations included: Madeira, Portugal; Tirana, Albania; and Tivat, Montenegro; not to mention Fuerteventura, Spain. “The choice of destinations from Brno Airport this coming year will be very similar to the last. However, there are new additions in the form of Marsa Matrouh in Egypt, Cyprus, and Dalaman on the Aegean Riviera in Turkey. In December, we dispatched our first ever long-haul passenger flight to Phuket, Thailand. This is now running once per week until the end of March. Moreover, after the winter break, our regular Ryanair connection to Bergamo, Italy will return, now with a greater number of rotations compared to last year,” said Filip.
There was also a lively amount of activity in the cargo sector last year, with FedEx and DHL operating daily connections to their central transshipment points in Paris, Liège, and Leipzig. The overall amount of cargo handled in 2023 was 11,653 tons, a slight increase on 2022. The introduction of a regular DHL connection in 2020 had a significant impact on the cargo sector and helped the airport overcome the difficult Covid period. Since 2021, cargo sector volume has almost trebled.
The airport is awaiting further investment and hopes to extend its eastern section
In 2023, roughly 30 million CZK was invested into repairs of the airport’s movement areas and operational equipment. The largest repairs concerned the western stands. “This year we are investing 35 million CZK in the expansion of the central stand and passenger car park. In addition, we are continuously modernising the aircraft dispatch equipment, de-icing vehicles, and container loading systems for cargo transport,” explained Filip. For example, the airport recently put a new pair of boarding stairs into operation to ensure that customers can comfortably board and disembark aircraft such as the B787 Dreamliner.
The airport’s strategic plans also include the development of its eastern part. An aircraft maintenance hangar or a new air medical services station could be built here, along with a coveted area to further develop general aviation. “The eastern part of the airport is crucial from a strategic point of view, i.e. to develop the airport into a multipurpose centre for various types of air traffic,” concluded Filip.