ACI Europe: European airport financial situation 'disastrous'

ACI Europe noted (23-Jul-2020) while airports have lost close to all revenue sources to date in 2020, they still sustained significant costs to accommodate emergency services and ensure essential supplies via cargo operations. ACI also noted that a recovery post COVID-19 is proceeding at a "slow and disappointing pace", with passenger traffic down by 93% year-on-year in Jun-2020 and tracking down 80% so far in Jul-2020. ACI Europe president Jost Lammers commented: "The economic and financial situation of airports is disastrous and the recovery is proceeding at a much slower pace than we had hoped for. Financial aid to airlines does not address and solve airports' own financial issues and ongoing business continuity risk in the recovery". Mr Lammers added that financial aid only to airlines creates "massive imbalances" in the European Single Aviation Market and "threatens its integrity... damaging air connectivity and consumer interest". [more - original PR]