Flughafen Wien Group traffic grows despite Middle East disruptions

Vienna Airport reported modest passenger growth in March 2026, as strong performance across its wider airport group helped offset the impact of geopolitical disruptions on its core hub.

The Flughafen Wien Group, which includes Vienna, Malta and Košice airports, handled 3.15 million passengers during the month, a 5.1% increase year-on-year. Growth was driven primarily by double-digit gains in Malta and a sharp surge in traffic at Košice, while Vienna itself recorded a more subdued 1.9% rise to 2.27 million passengers.

The Austrian hub’s performance was constrained by ongoing tensions in the Middle East, which have led to airspace restrictions since late February. Passenger volumes to and from the region collapsed by more than 90% in March, significantly weighing on overall growth. The company said the longer-term impact remains uncertain and will depend on how long the disruption persists, though it has not revised its full-year outlook.

At Vienna Airport, local passenger numbers edged up just 0.5%, while transfer traffic increased by 1.5%. Part of this growth was attributed to transit passengers on refuelling stops by Air India flights, who remain on board and do not enter the airport.

Operationally, the airport handled fewer flights, with take-offs and landings down 1.4% year-on-year. However, aircraft were more full, with the seat load factor rising four percentage points to 78.4%. Cargo volumes slipped slightly by 0.8%.

Traffic trends varied significantly by region. Western Europe remained the largest market and posted solid growth of 7.8%, while routes to Africa and the Far East expanded strongly, the latter jumping more than 40%. North America also recorded moderate gains. In contrast, the Middle East saw a near-total collapse in passenger volumes due to the crisis.

For the first quarter as a whole, Vienna Airport handled 6.1 million passengers, up 1.6% compared to the same period last year. Across the group, passenger numbers rose 5.3% to 8.35 million, underlining the extent to which regional diversification is supporting overall growth despite external headwinds.