Challenge Airlines could move its activity from Liège to Ostend
Is Ostend-Bruges Airport cynically inviting cargo operators to its home while Wallonia is shooting itself in the foot by curbing the development of its freight airport by a decision of delegated civil servants?
On 26 August 2022, Liège Airport obtained its environmental permit for the next 20 years. However, some newly imposed constraints would lead to the loss of many jobs and threaten the business model of Liège Airport. The implementation of the environmental permit would involve a very substantial reduction in freight activity (2,450,207 tonnes in 2040 according to the business plan, 675,378 tonnes with the environmental permit), the probable departure of several companies active in the airport and the elimination of a very large number of direct and indirect jobs (the business plan provides for 18,831 jobs in 2040, vs 5,021 with the environmental permit). It implies the impossibility of development, or even a rapid halt – and not only the gradual reduction of the airport’s activities.
Consequently, Liege Airport filed an appeal before the Walloon Government on 15 September 2022.
Meanwhile, Ostend-Bruges Airport saw an opportunity to increase its own business by welcoming operators no longer able to pursue their activities at Liege Airport. Among others, it approached cargo operator Challenge Airlines, which does not rule out the possibility of moving its activity from Liège to Ostend, reports the newspaper L’Echo on Thursday.
“There are contacts with Ostend, but no decision has been taken. However, things could go very quickly and we could come to this if political common sense does not take over“, says the management of Challenge. “Going to Ostend is something realistic and potentially possible. There are warehouses under construction and the airport has plans to develop a logistics hub.”
Challenge continues: “Our desire, and that of the other operators is to stay in Liège. Liège is our priority and is an airport with a very good international rating. We have made a lot of investments there. We do not want politics to push us to take a regrettable position“.
The Challenge group is present since 1995 in Liège, where it employs 800 people.
