More than Two Million Travellers in January
A total of 2.2 million passengers passed through Copenhagen Airport in January, representing a 14 per cent increase on last year and marking the highest January figure ever recorded. The proportion of new and more modern aircraft types at Copenhagen Airport has risen, so that more than one in three aircraft operating at the airport are now models that compared to earlier generate less noise and emissions.
The upward development continues at Copenhagen Airport, where 2.226 million travellers moved through the terminals in the first month of the year.
“The winter cold has truly taken hold here in Denmark, prompting many to escape the snow and frost in favour of sun and warmth in Thailand and Spain. We have had a strong start to the year and have never before seen more than two million travellers pass through the airport in January,” says Peter Krogsgaard, Chief Commercial Officer at Copenhagen Airport.
The number of travellers in January has increased by 14 per cent compared with the same month last year.
“Several airlines have opened new routes in the winter programme and increased the number of available seats and travel options to and from Copenhagen. This is very positive, and many passengers are taking advantage of it,” says Peter Krogsgaard.
More Norwegian and Swedish Travellers
In January, Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom were the three countries with the highest number of travellers. Between Norway and Copenhagen Airport alone, 214,000 passengers travelled in January, and there has been significant growth on routes connecting Copenhagen with the other Scandinavian airports.
“A large proportion of Norwegian and Swedish travellers are transfer passengers, who arrive in Copenhagen to connect to one of the many long haul and European routes available from Copenhagen Airport,” says Peter Krogsgaard.
Passenger numbers between Copenhagen and Norwegian airports have risen by 26 per cent compared with the same month last year. The same applies to the routes between Copenhagen Airport and Sweden, where 147,000 passengers travelled in January, also corresponding to a 26 per cent increase.
In total, there were 612,000 transfer passengers at Copenhagen Airport in January, which is 207,000 more than in January last year.
Modern Aircraft Types Pollute Less
The share of new and more modern aircraft types at Copenhagen Airport has increased in recent years. An average of 660 aircraft arrive or depart from the airport every day, and last year 39 per cent of all aircraft were more modern types such as the Airbus A320neo, Boeing 737 MAX or similar. In 2019 the share was as low as five per cent.
“This is a development we are very pleased with. The advantage of the new aircraft types is that they are more fuel-efficient and generate less noise and emissions, making a significant difference when airlines renew their fleets – and we can clearly see that this development is continuing,” says Peter Krogsgaard.
Based on information from the airlines, Copenhagen Airport expects the proportion of more modern aircraft to rise to 49 per cent within a year.
“It is a welcome development that almost half of all aircraft operating at the airport in the near future will be new aircraft types. Naturally, we must be prepared to handle more of the new and larger aircraft types that pollute less, which is why we are in the process of expanding the aircraft stands. We continuously assess how we can configure the airport to remain as efficient and attractive as possible,” says Peter Krogsgaard.
Busy Weeks During the Winter Holidays
Friday 6 February marks the beginning of the winter holiday period, where many travellers from Denmark and southern Sweden depart from Copenhagen Airport. During and around weeks 7 and 8, 1.37 million passengers will travel through the airport, which is ten per cent more than last year.
“We look forward to welcoming the many holiday travellers in the terminals. Asia and the many ski destinations in the north and south are absolute favourites for many passengers. In Asia, countries such as Thailand and Vietnam are the most popular, offering sunshine, white sandy beaches and memorable experiences,” says Peter Krogsgaard.
More travellers are also choosing to fly when heading to ski destinations in the Alps or the Scandinavian mountains.
“There is plenty of snow at the well-known ski resorts, providing excellent opportunities to finetune the skiing skills. In the Alps, Switzerland, Italy and Austria are the most popular ski holiday destinations, and an increasing number of travellers are opting for flights rather than driving when heading north to the cross-country trails and downhill slopes in Sweden and Norway,” says Peter Krogsgaard.
From Copenhagen Airport there are direct routes to Scandinavian Mountains Airport near Trysil and Sälen, to the airport in Östersund close to the slopes in Åre, and to Oslo, where snow is easily accessible in Geilo and Norefjell.
