More flights and more passengers

In relation to the new route from Gdansk to Dortmund to be offered by WizzAir low-cost airlines starting 2 November, as well as increased frequency of flights from Gdansk to London serviced by Air Polonia, the airport management expects further growth in air and passenger traffic.
In comparison with the corresponding period of 2003, by the end of the holiday season almost 24% more passengers travelled with airlines which offered scheduled and charter flights.

During the eight months of 2004, as many as 292.2 thousand passengers arrived at and departed from the Gdansk Airport, which is an increase by 55 thousand passengers in comparison with the preceding year. The most significant increase - by 60% - was recorded in the case of flights on the Gdansk - Frankfurt route. Similarly, the Polish low-cost carrier Air Polonia mustn’t grumble about the lack of passengers. As many as 11.8 thousand passengers have travelled with the airlines on the Gdansk - London Stansted route since March this year. The non-regular passenger traffic also increased by 40%, which is primarily attributable to the growing number of passengers who travel with charter flights to popular holiday resorts in North Africa and Turkey in the summer season. During the first eight months of this year, 16.4 thousand people were serviced in non-regular traffic, as compared to the total of 22.2 thousand people serviced in 2003.

The seat occupancy rate for flights from the Gdansk Airport remained high. At the end of August 2004, the rate reached 69 per cent. As regards flights to London Stansted serviced by Air Polonia, the seat occupancy by far exceeded 90 per cent. Very high seat occupancy rates were also recorded on international flights to Copenhagen (72.2 per cent), Munich (79.4 per cent.) and Frankfurt (82.1 per cent). Many passengers also travelled on the domestic route to Warsaw - LOT and Eurolot planes were flying at the seat occupancy rate of 70 per cent.

During the eight months of 2004, the total of 2089.1 tonnes of cargo was handled at the Gdansk Airport, which exceeds the volume of cargo handled during the analogous period of the preceding year by 24 per cent.