Impact of COVID-19 continues to hurt Sweden’s airports

Despite the boost of the end of summer holiday traffic, only 650,000 passengers passed through Swedavia’s 10 Swedish airports in August – 83% down on the corresponding month a year ago.

Swedavia, which reveals that 3.7 million passengers used its gateways in August 2019, notes that last month’s air traffic recovery “slowed somewhat in late August due to decreased leisure travel.”

International traffic accounted for the bulk of passengers (420,000) this August, although the figure was 85% down on last year. Domestic passenger numbers dropped 76% to 230,000.

“Summing up the summer months, the cautious recovery in air travel continued in August as countries eased travel restrictions enabling greater connectivity between countries,” notes Swedavia’s president and CEO, Jonas Abrahamsson.

“Although air travel continued to recover in August volumes remain at historically low levels due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. As autumn approaches the current industry view is that the aviation market recovery to pre-COVID levels will take several years.

“Near-term the limited aviation market continues to be strongly affected by the pandemic with significantly lower air travel volumes and is expected to remain significantly affected for the rest of the year and as well as next year.”

Sweden’s two busiest airports, Stockholm Arlanda and Gothenburg Landvetter, handled 418,000 (-83%) and 104,000 (-83%) respectively in August 2020.