Improved passenger traffic at Katowice Airport for November 2021

During November 2021, 168,004 passengers, 143,296 more (+580.0 per cent) than 2020, travelled via the regular and charter network at Katowice Airport (KTW). On regular flights offered by Wizz Air, Ryanair, LOT Polish Airlines and Lufthansa, 123,627 persons, 109,881 more (+799.4 per cent) in comparison with the same time in 2020, were handled. The most popular regular routes in November 2021: Dortmund (21.8 thousand passengers), London-Stansted (7.6 thousand), London-Luton (7.5 thousand), Cologne-Bonn (6.4 thousand) and Eindhoven (5.4 thousand). On charter flights handled for travel agencies, 40,699 passengers were noted, i.e., 30 186 more (+287.1 per cent) than 2020. Passengers most often travelled from Katowice Airport to the following charter destinations: Hurghada (8.9 thousand passengers), Marsa Alam (7.5 thousand), Antalya (5.7 thousand), Sharm El Sheikh (2.6 thousand) and Cancun (2.0 thousand). In November, 2,416 aircraft take-offs and landings were noted at Katowice Airport, i.e., 1 158 more (+92.0 per cent) than in 2020.

Artur Tomasik, President of the Management Board of the Upper Silesian Aviation Group (GTL SA), the company managing Katowice Airport, said: “During the eleventh month of 2021, passenger traffic at Katowice Airport achieved 57 per cent of the result noted in November 2019, when 290,000 travellers were handled. When it comes to regular traffic, November 2021 was dominated by Ryanair. The Irish airline handled 60,000 passengers on routes to/from Katowice Airport. In comparison, the second most prominent low-cost airline with an established base at Katowice Airport, Wizz Air, served 54,000 travellers.” 

From January to the end of November 2021, 2,164,544 passengers travelled to/from Katowice Airport, 763,549 more (+54.5 per cent) than in 2020. In eleven months, 900,717 persons were handled on regular flights, i.e., 66,239 fewer (-6.8 per cent) than in the same time in 2020. 1,251,500 travellers were served on charter flights, 835,482 more (+200.8 per cent) than in 2020. From January to the end of November 2021, 26 492 aircraft take-offs and landings were noted, i.e., 5,714 more (+27.5 per cent) than 2020.

“Unfortunately, a lot of European countries are introducing new sanitary rules in December 2021; such a tendency is likely to have a negative impact on the number of handled passengers. Changes are to be introduced, among others, in Poland,” added Tomasik. “From 15 December 2021, all passengers travelling from non-Schengen countries will have to take a coronavirus test not less than 24 hours before crossing the Polish border. As a result of new regulations, we will conclude 2021 with a couple of thousand handled passengers fewer than we estimated. Right now, we aim to end 2021 with 2.2-2.3 million served travellers. However, it appears that the upcoming months will once again be difficult for the aviation industry. Reconstruction of traffic is continuously constrained by next waves of COVID-19; they result in uncertainty, new sanitary regulations and, consequently, lower interest in air travels.”