Prague Airport has cleared more than 16 million passengers from the beginning of 2018 until Tuesday, December 11, 2018, and exceeded its previous record from the last year. By the end of the year, it is estimated that 16.8 million passengers will be cleared, up a 9 percent increase year-on-year. Due to the increase in passenger numbers, the airport plans to complete several investments in the next year.
“For the third consecutive year, Prague Airport records a record of the number of cleared passengers, and we expect approximately 1.4 million passengers to travel by 2018 than we did in the previous year, and we expect growth in 2019, both in the number of cleared passengers, which can reach three to five percent, as well as the number of direct flights”, said Václav Řehoř, Chairman of the Prague Airport.
According to the airport, its growth is faster than the European average of airports of similar size. For example, in the third quarter, the number of cleared passengers has increased by 9.3 percent, while the average of European airports of similar size was around five percent. On average, this year, approximately 46,000 passengers a day have been cleared by the airport.
The busiest month was July, with almost 1.9 million cleared passengers. The most popular destination is still London, which was this year visited with over 1.28 million passengers. From Prague to London, it flies to all of the six international airports.
Even due to the increasing number of passengers, the airport plans to complete several projects next year, which should slightly increase airport capacity. Gregory advised, for example, the opening of a new check-in counter at Terminal 1 and a new terminal on Terminal 2.
The reconstruction of aircraft stands on finger B should be completed, and two departure waiting rooms will be modernized. The luggage pack refurbishment should also begin. In the coming years, airport capacity should increase mainly with the construction of a new parallel runway, which should start in four years, as well as the extension of Terminal 2.
Number of cleared passengers
The year 2016 – 13,07 million
The year 2017 – 15,41 million
The year 2018 – more than 16 million
Václav Havel Airport offers a connection to 114 destinations in 42 countries this winter. Ten new destinations have been added to the flight schedule. Most flights from Prague are headed to Great Britain, where they fly from Prague to 16 different cities. France follows with ten different destinations.