The Austrian aviation industry continues to be robust and growing strongly in 2024. With a total of 16,5 million passengers at the country's six commercial airports in the first half of 2024, Austria recorded a significant increase of 7,7% compared to the previous year.
This positive development, almost at the level of the record year 2019, illustrates the population's renewed desire to travel. Vienna Airport in particular benefited from this dynamic, but the country's smaller airports also recorded significant growth. At the same time, regional airports are facing challenges such as a shortage of aircraft and a varying development in passenger numbers. The Association of Austrian Airports (AÖV) underlines the importance of airports as important drivers of the economy and tourism.
In the first half of 2024, a total of 16.478.576 passengers were counted at Austrian commercial airports - Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Graz, Linz and Klagenfurt - an increase of 7,7% over the previous year. Air travel to Germany, Spain and Italy was particularly popular. The number of flight movements in scheduled and non-scheduled traffic increased by 4,9% to 129.838 take-offs and landings. The seat load factor, i.e. the average utilization of the aircraft, improved to 77,4%, an increase of 0,6 percentage points compared to the previous year. Freight volumes also showed a positive development, growing by 16,9% to 174.675 tons.
Vienna Airport, Austria's largest hub airport, recorded an increase of 14.386.331% compared to the previous year with 7,9 passengers. Salzburg Airport recorded an increase of 8,1% to 971.266 passengers. Graz Airport also saw a significant increase of 22,7% to 373.385 passengers. Innsbruck and Linz airports, on the other hand, had only low or declining passenger numbers, while Klagenfurt also suffered a loss with a decrease of 17,4% to 61.467 passengers.
Challenges and regional airports
Despite the overall positive development, regional airports struggled with specific challenges. The shortage of aircraft in Europe is slowing growth, especially in the federal states. Mag. Norbert Draskovits, Vice President of AÖV and Managing Director of Flughafen Linz GesmbH, emphasized the importance of the presence of airlines such as Austrian Airlines in the federal states in order to promote regional connectivity. Linz Airport and Klagenfurt Airport in particular recorded declining flight movements, which can be attributed to the lack of aircraft availability and a reduced range of connections.
Importance of aviation for economy and tourism
Aviation plays a crucial role in Austrian tourism and the economy. Airports are not only transport hubs, but also important employers and economic factors in the respective regions. The good connectivity, which is ensured by a large number of flight connections, is a key factor in Austria's attractiveness as a travel destination. In this context, the Association of Austrian Airports (AÖV) emphasizes the need for continuous improvement of infrastructure and services in order to meet increasing demands.
The AÖV, founded in 1956, serves as a lobby for Austrian commercial airports. It promotes cross-company cooperation, the exchange of know-how and represents common interests in national and international decisions in the aviation sector. Close cooperation in German-speaking countries is ensured through intensive exchange with sister associations such as the Association of German Commercial Airports (ADV) and the Swiss International Airports Association (SIAA).
The positive development of passenger numbers and flight movements at Austrian airports shows that the industry is well on its way to fully recovering from the slump caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, challenges remain, especially for regional airports. Further support from airlines and investments in infrastructure will be crucial to ensure the long-term competitiveness and attractiveness of Austrian airports. The aviation industry will continue to be an important driver of Austrian tourism and the economy, and the population's increasing desire to travel gives hope for a successful second half of 2024.