European airports seek help after traffic sinks to 25-year low

Airport operators in Europe asked for more financial support to get through the coronavirus crisis after 2020 traffic sunk to a 25-year low.

Passenger numbers fell 70% to just 728 million last year, the weakest since 1995, lobby group ACI Europe said in a statement on Friday. Some governments have offered support, the body said, but only enough to cover less than 8% of lost revenue.

New virus strains and a resurgence of infections wiped out hopes for an early recovery in air travel, and a gradual roll-out of vaccines across the continent is expected to enable only a partial rebound this year.

Germany is planning a 900 million-euro ($1.1 billion) assistance package to the country’s airports, according to a transport ministry document, adding to a multibillion-euro bailout awarded to the wider sector in the country to date.