20.05.2021 08:51
(Akt. 20.05.2021 09:44)
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Airport operations were on the back burner in April as well.
© WHAT / ROBERT JAEGER
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Vienna Airport continues to struggle with the corona crisis. A loss of 25 million euros was recorded in the first quarter.
The corona pandemic still has Vienna Airport firmly under control. Passenger numbers plummeted by 88.7 percent in the first quarter of 2021, while sales fell by 64.4 to 57.5 million euros. The bottom line was a loss of 25 million euros after the first three months of this year, as the listed company announced on Thursday. Board member Günther Ofner sees “light at the end of the tunnel”, but “not yet over the mountain”, as he said to the APA.
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Airport operator expects normalization over the summer
The airport operator expects that air traffic will normalize more or less over the summer and that the loss can be made up. “Assuming that the targeted traffic figures are achieved, we expect sales of around EUR 430 million, a positive Ebitda of around EUR 150 million and a black zero for the annual result for 2021 from today’s perspective,” is the Management Board’s forecast.
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Everyone who wants to go on vacation this summer should expect longer waiting times. The check-in takes three to four times longer due to the health check and formalities, explained board member Julian Jäger. That is why they are considering opening Terminal 1 again in the summer. The airport has high hopes for the introduction of the so-called “green pass”.
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The lifting of the quarantine on return for many holiday countries on the Mediterranean such as Spain or Greece was an important step, said Jäger. As it currently looks, around 50 airlines would offer 150 destinations this year. Jäger reckons that other travel destinations will be added. This brings Vienna Airport to around three quarters of its destinations before the pandemic. “The big question mark is the utilization”, which was below 30 percent during the crisis, but recently increased to over 40 percent. “Normal” are 80 to 90 percent during the main travel season. It is also important to find a solution at EU level with the USA. The US authorities still have an entry ban.
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Airport operations on the back burner in April
In the first quarter, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) were EUR 2.4 million and EBIT was EUR -30.9 million. The majority of employees are still on short-time work. The board of directors is urging to extend short-time work for aviation. More employees will be needed in the summer months of July and August and they will be brought back on a daily basis, but short-time work will be needed beyond 2021, says Ofner. The airport expects only 80 percent of its old size in 2023. In 2020, the company received around 70 million euros from the state for short-time work, and the Board of Management expects a low double-digit million sum from the additional funds.
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Airport operations continued to run on the back burner in April. With 269,127 passengers – compared to 2.7 million in April 2019 – the airport was miles away from the pre-crisis passenger numbers. The airport’s board of directors woos passengers: “If you want to go on vacation, you should book now before ticket prices rise again.”
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