The financial situation at Klagenfurt Airport is said to have been so tense that there was no longer enough money to pay the employees' wages and salaries on time. Only due to the fact that the city of Klagenfurt and the state of Carinthia (KBV) had already paid in their share of the capital increase could these be paid out with a delay, according to a report in the "Kleine Zeitung".
Carinthian Airport had almost no air traffic during the Corona pandemic, which had a negative impact on the finances. It has not yet been possible to fully “recover” because even before the crisis there were only a few scheduled flights and as a result fewer passengers every year. Although Ryanair returned to Klagenfurt in the 2022/24 winter flight schedule, the Vienna connection offered by Austrian Airlines was further reduced. The Cologne/Bonn flights were also temporarily paused and are now history. So the bottom line is – “Corona flight breaks hidden” – fewer regular flights than ever.
It's no secret that the airport's finances are tight. Already towards the end of 2022, majority owner Lilihill drew attention to this and pushed for a capital increase. A few days ago, the minority shareholders, the state of Carinthia, represented by KBV, and the city of Klagenfurt paid their share into the airport company. Lilihill, on the other hand, does not and now makes it a condition that the call option should be waived. Otherwise you will not participate. The approach has been sharply criticized by regional politicians.
The "Kleine Zeitung" now reports that the funds for paying the wages and salaries of the employees should no longer have been sufficient. These could then be transferred with a delay, but only because the minority shareholders – in contrast to Lilihill – had already paid their share of the capital increase into the operating company. This is likely to lead to further conflicts. It can therefore be assumed that the topic of the "call option" will be on the agenda again in the near future.
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