ACI Europe backs regional airports as they urge EU to act on critical connectivity challenges

Regional airports across Europe have gathered in Dalaman, Türkiye, for ACI EUROPE’s annual Regional Airports Conference & Exhibition, hosted by YDA Dalaman Airport. The event highlights growing concern over the sector’s economic sustainability and the widening performance gap between larger and smaller regional airports.

Details on ACI Europe backing regional airports 

While passenger traffic at larger regional airports is now 11.7% above 2019 levels, smaller regional airports are still down by 35.1%. This disparity reflects structural market changes — including the dominance of leisure and VFR travel, a drop in domestic demand, and the strategic expansion of Ultra Low Cost Carriers (LCCs) at the expense of Full Service Carriers (FSCs).

LCCs have increased seat capacity by 29% at larger regional airports compared to 2019, but reduced it by 27% at smaller ones. Meanwhile, FSCs have cut seat capacity by 45% at smaller regional airports and left it unchanged (up just 0.3%) at larger ones.

Andrea Andorno, CEO of Torino Airport and Chair of ACI EUROPE’s Regional Airports Forum, said:
“The post-pandemic market reality is a very harsh one for regional airports — increasingly relying on Low Cost Carriers… They are also putting an extraordinary pressure on regional airports to achieve cost reductions.”

Financial pressures are intensifying due to high fixed costs, rising inflation, seasonality, and reduced airport charges — down 12.1% in real terms at smaller airports since 2019.

Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE, warned:
“Smaller regional airports relying on LCCs will be the most affected, with their passenger traffic decreasing by up to 20% by 2050… This will directly harm cohesion and territorial equality — and undermine Europe’s competitiveness.”

ACI EUROPE is calling on the EU to urgently reset policy priorities, including: safeguarding operating aid post-2027, supporting sustainable transport investment, scrapping national aviation taxes, and protecting Open Skies Agreements.

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