Billund Airport again posts positive results
Billund Airport (C) Nico-dk – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21904164
2022 was the year in which Billund Airport reached record levels in terms of passengers and freight. This results in an account with a profit, and with it Billund Airport has come out on the other side of the worst crisis in recent times. Development at the airport is at the fore, and optimism for the future is high.
With the result that Billund Airport had in 2022, the airport has to that extent distanced itself from previous expectations about when aviation would be back at the 2019 level again. It was neither in 2024 nor in 2027. It was in 2022.
Passenger numbers were 0.2 percent from hitting the record in 2019, and air freight was 0.4 percent from hitting the record level in 2021. The economy also reflects the progress at the airport, where the net turnover is similar to the turnover of earlier times. It also means that the deficit from the two previous years has turned into a profit, and this creates satisfaction for the chairman of the board, Clas Nylandsted Andersen:
“After two difficult years, it is satisfactory to be able to report a profit again in 2022 – and perhaps just as importantly – an operational cash flow at the same level as before. The latter is the prerequisite for us to develop the airport’s considerable potential. The plans for the coming years’ growth have been laid down, and with the support we have experienced from customers, employees and owners during a difficult period, I am convinced that we can execute the plans.
Of course, a possible worsening of the geopolitical situation creates uncertainty,” says the chairman.
High level of investment suits the development plans
Billund Airport City is developing rapidly, and the airport, therefore, plans to maintain a high level of investment going forward. In 2022, Billund Airport invested around 110 million kroner, which i.a. has provided a terminal extension of 1,600 m2 with updated border control, and new facilities have been built for Naviair that will centralize flight control in Billund. PensionDanmark and Billund Airport have also entered into a partnership for the financing of large buildings, such as hangars, office facilities, warehouses, business domiciles and much more for the business community that depends on positioning itself close to international accessibility.
Maersk Air Cargo has recognized the development opportunities at Billund Airport and has located their European air freight hub between Europe and Asia in Billund, and there are several exciting dialogues underway about becoming part of Billund Airport City. “Now three years after we launched our growth strategy towards 2040, development is flourishing, and there is great interest from various companies in becoming part of Billund Airport City. The cooperation with PensionDanmark enables this to a large extent, but we also maintain our own investments, which we, among other things, have done in our latest terminal expansion,” says Jan Hessellund, and he further states:
“Maersk Air Cargo is probably the biggest operator we could imagine getting on the register, but there are more big ones on the way.
We have some exciting dialogues.
Billund Airport City is on the world map, and in several respects, you cannot overlook Billund Airport.”