Siginificant increase in passenger numbers across Avinor’s airports

Credit: Øystein Løwer / Avinor

A total of 4,526,709 passengers travelled to, from or via Avinor’s airports in August 2022. This represents an increase of 84 per cent compared with August last year (2021). August marked the return of nine out of 10 pre-pandemic passengers.

“Aviation is a good indicator of levels of activity in our country as a whole, so it is gratifying to see that nine out of 10 passengers returned during the month of August. This means a lot to the airlines and other related companies that were hit very hard by the pandemic. It is also important for Norwegian business and the tourism sector following two extremely demanding years,” commented Gaute Skallerud Riise, Vice President Traffic Development, Avinor.

International traffic remains the biggest driver for this increase in passenger numbers. A total of 1,934,317 passengers travelled between Avinor’s airports and international destinations, representing an increase of 246 per cent compared with 2021.

Growth in domestic traffic was also noted during August. During the month, 2,543,420 passengers travelled domestically compared with 1,855,315 passengers in 2021, which constitutes an increase of 37 per cent. The total number of passengers remains slightly lower than for the comparable period in 2019. In August 2019, a total of 4,958,153 passengers travelled from Avinor’s airports, which is 9 per cent higher than the 4,526,709 passengers who travelled in August 2022.

The number of commercial air transport movement for the month of August is also still two per cent lower in 2022 than the figure for 2019. During August 2022, there were a total of 58,113 commercial departures and arrivals from and to Avinor’s airports, compared with 59,405 in August 2019.

Significant increases in the far north and west

In line with July 2022, Svalbard Airport saw a strong increase in the number of passengers during the month of August as well. Compared with the same month in 2021, the number of passengers more than doubled, totalling 22,990 passengers. In August 2021, the corresponding figure was 10,497, while the figure for 2019 was 21,311.

There is also widespread interest in visiting western Norway. Among Avinor’s 43 airports, those in the west have made the biggest gains when compared with last year. In terms of total passenger figures, Molde, Ålesund, Bergen and Stavanger have increased by 73, 68, 81 and 90 per cent respectively during August 2022. 

“This is a gratifying development for Stavanger Airport. The return of traffic is very positive, and it is particularly pleasing that interest in our region has been elevated during the summer months. Activity in our region brings a boost to local businesses, especially in the travel sector, as they put a tough period behind them,” said Anette Sigmundstad, Airport Director at Stavanger Airport (SVG).

Big increase also seen at Oslo Airport

Compared with August 2021, the increase in the total number of passengers arriving at and departing from Oslo Airport (OSL) was 119 per cent in August 2022. During this period, 2,357,334 passengers travelled to or from Oslo Airport compared with 2,664,000 in 2021. As has been noted, international traffic represents the biggest driver in this rise of 230 per cent at Oslo Airport when compared with last year. Compared with 2019 when there were 1,640,834 international passengers in the same month, the figure for August 2022 is 14 per cent lower. 

“It’s great to have the passengers and traffic back. Oslo Airport is one of the region’s biggest employers, and as Norway’s main airport we are the port of entry to the country for tens of thousands of tourists and the gateway to the world for Norwegians and Norwegian business,” added Stine Ramstad Westby, Director of Oslo Airport.