Busiest summer ever for Ostend-Bruges Airport (+4.3%)

Ostend Airport closed the month of September with 51,393 passengers. A modest growth of 1.6% compared to the same month last year. Then the airport recorded 50,583 passengers. Despite this slight growth, we can conclude that the summer months of July, August and September have set a new record. For the airport by the sea, it was the busiest summer ever. It received no less than 180,785 passengers compared to 173,347 in the same quarter last year (+ 4.29%).

In the first place, there was once again a slight increase in the number of TUI fly passengers. In addition, we also noted a new increase in the number of charter flights and this has led to a higher number of charter passengers. Finally, we can state that the increase in the number of business flights also brought more business passengers with it. These three factors explain the growth rate.

Thanks to the new business terminal, which opened earlier this year, the share of general aviation is growing in significance every month. The private company NSAC will assume full responsibility for the operation and will contribute fully to the further developments in this increasingly important segment of the airport activities.

Over the period January – September there was 14.7% less cargo volume at Ostend airport compared to last year. This trend is fully in line with the slower growth in which the cargo sector is located worldwide (-17%). Together with Aviapartner and Bcube, Egis hopes to reverse this trend in the fourth quarter of this year. Traditionally, the cargo operations have been increasing in that last quarter. After all, Q4 is always considered to be ‘busy’.

Overall, we note an increase in passenger numbers of 9.5% compared to 2018 (January-September). In general, we can conclude that Ostend airport is clearly on the rise and that more and more travellers and business people are experiencing this. Good accessibility, close to home, easy and democratic parking, short walking distances at and around the airport, fast check-in and fast procedures are all advantages of small-scale, regional airports.

For September, one of the busiest months, the airport achieved another excellent score in terms of ‘punctual departures’ (96.9%). A figure that many airports can only dream of to the great delight of our regular customers.