Dortmund Airport expects to set a new record for passenger numbers in the current financial year. Managing director Ludger van Bebber explained this during the most recent supervisory board meeting. 

Since the beginning of the year, passenger numbers at Dortmund Airport have been characterized by stable growth rates, which peaked in the summer season. In the months from January to October 2023, a total of 2.559.192 passengers used Dortmund Airport - corresponding to cumulative growth of around 17,5 percent compared to the previous year and almost 14 percent compared to the pre-crisis year 2019. 

Even in a nationwide comparison, Dortmund Airport stands out for its particularly strong recovery rate. Although air traffic across Germany is gradually recovering from the effects of the pandemic, war and inflation, the volume of air traffic across Germany between January and September 2023 was still 22,4 percent below the 2019 level. 

“We are extremely satisfied with the developments in 2023. Given the positive trend, we will significantly exceed the passenger forecast of 2,6 million travelers set at the beginning of the year,” sums up airport boss Ludger van Bebber. For the full year 2023, Dortmund Airport is now expecting a passenger volume of 2,9 million travelers. “At the end of November we were able to set a new passenger record with a total of 2.726.145 passengers and exceed the record from the whole of 2019 (2.719.563 passengers),” continued van Bebber. This makes 2023 the year with the highest number of passengers in the history of Dortmund Airport. 

The growth rates are significantly influenced by new connections, increases in frequency and the general orientation of the airport. In particular, the extensive and high-demand range of Southeast European destinations as well as the focus on high-growth low-cost carriers have proven to be key drivers in recent months. After three route extensions by the Hungarian airline Wizz Air, the airport is expanding its range of destinations with another important hub with the upcoming connection to Istanbul. 

Growth is also expected at Dortmund Airport in 2024. Therefore, some investments have been worked out. Some of these were already approved at the most recent meeting of the Supervisory Board. The purchase of a new sweeper was confirmed, which will clean the apron, taxiways and the runway of potential foreign bodies and residues. A new system vehicle for open space management and use in winter service was also approved.