The first quarter of 2014 became the worst in 13 years for Aarhus Airport in terms of passenger numbers, according to new figures from Danmarks Statistik.
Actually, it could be even worse, because the national stats keeper’s figures only go back as far as 2001. The numbers are even worse than those recorded during the second quarter of 2010 when Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano erupted.
The regional airport saw 44,000 passengers in the first quarter of the year, compared to 47,000 during the same period last year, 57,000 in 2012 and 63,000 in 2011. Peter Høgsberg, the head of the airport, had expected a continuing decline.
”It’s first now that we are even able to start making a plan, and what we are discussing at the moment is the summer program for 2015,” Høgsberg told Jyllands-Posten newspaper.
“That means that we can hope for passenger increases in the third or fourth quarter of 2015 at the earliest.”
READ MORE: Aarhus eyeing new airport
Takes time
After the airport posted a loss of 16 million kroner for 2013, the five councils that own it – Aarhus, Randers, Favrskov, Norddjurs and Syddjurs – agreed to invest a two-figure million kroner amount in a bid to attract more passengers and flights. But that transition will take time, according to Høgsberg.
The airport boss hopes to be able to attract some more flight routes sometime this yea,r which he hopes will help curtail the drop in passenger numbers.
