12.5.2010
Ash cloud reduced passenger numbers

Passenger numbers at Copenhagen Airport in April were 19.2% lower than in April of last year. The fall was due to the closure of Danish airspace for more than five days as a result of the Icelandic ash cloud. However, Copenhagen Airport was back in full operation in late April, and CPH retains its forecast for the full year.

A total of 1,315,812 passengers passed through Copenhagen Airport in April, which represents a year-on-year decline of 19.2%. The number of locally departing passengers dropped by 21.2%, and the number of transfer passengers dropped by 20.2%. The number of international passengers was down by 20.7%, whilst the number of domestic passengers was down by 4.2%.

The decline in the number of passengers in April was due to the complete closure of the airport for five and a half days in the middle of the month due to the ash cloud, with the Airport impacted by limited operations both before and after the actual closure.

“Clearly, the complete closure of the airport for several days was a very unusual situation and inevitably had an adverse impact on passenger numbers, but the most important thing is that, after Danish airspace was reopened, we were quickly back at full operation. The passengers are back, and we retain our forecast of traffic growth in 2010,” said Carsten Nørland, VP, Sales, Copenhagen Airports.