The decline continues. Down since the health crisis, traffic at Rennes airport recorded a further decline in 2024. And not the least: – 14% compared to 2023, bringing the number of passengers who used the platform to around 512,000 Rennes last year. This is 40% than in 2019, according to figures published Friday January 17. To find a similar traffic level, you have to go back ten years. Vinci Airports, co-manager with the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Ille-et-Vilaine, then spoke of a “historic year” for the Rennes airport. Another era and an optimism which then allowed the Brittany Region, owner of the infrastructure, to set the objective of one million passengers in 2030.
If all French airports have suffered from covid, the Rennes situation contrasts with that of Brest airport but also of Nantes. Also managed by Vinci, the latter saw its traffic increase by a little more than 7% in 2024 and is gradually approaching the figures for 2019. Leaving aside the opening of the high-speed train line to Paris , the poor figures in Rennes are mainly explained by the lack of attractiveness of the destinations offered, particularly after the cessation, in 2023, of several lines operated by Easyjet to Portugal. To date, the Bretillian airport serves around ten cities directly, including three internationally, with no “sun” destination (apart from the seasonal line to Marrakech) although it is in high demand (and offered in Nantes). In response, Rennes airport claims that it serves Paris Charles-de-Gaulles and Amsterdam, two “hubs” which, at the cost of a stopover, then allow you to go anywhere in the world.
L’explication des low cost
For Yannick Bouiller, the director of Rennes airport, the explanations lie in the “massive disengagement” of Air France over the years and the rise of low-cost airlines, which represented 24% of traffic. in 2019 and now 60%. “This requires us to adapt, because these companies have the capacity to develop their network more quickly, they look at the profitability of their lines and they have no obligation to cover the territory,” underlines the manager. They also tend to concentrate on the busiest airports, in order to ensure volumes and minimize financial risks.
Faced with longer delivery times for new planes, low cost airlines are also “very sensitive” to the price of the ticket, and therefore to taxation. The government's plans to increase taxes, in order to fill the state coffers, are therefore very bad news for the airport sector. As competition between European airports intensifies, “this will hamper the competitiveness of our airports, and even more so for an airport like Rennes,” believes Yannick Bouiller.
-A “positive dynamic” in 2025?
In this rather gloomy picture, the management of Rennes airport still sees positive signals: the high occupancy rate of planes (82%) and the increase in attendance in the last quarter of 2024. The result of the return of seasonal line to Marrakech with Transavia in October, the launch of a new line to Montpellier with Volotea in November and the strengthening of services to London and Toulouse during the winter holidays. “The promising end of 2024 opens up great prospects and sets in motion a positive dynamic for this year 2025,” Yannick Bouiller believes.
However, we must deal with the decision of the German Lufthansa to put an end to its route to the Frankfurt hub. To compensate, KLM's service to Amsterdam will be reinforced. To boost traffic, Rennes is also banking on the strengthening of flights to Toulouse, the resumption of the line to Dublin, the rise of Montpellier and the launch of a line to Manchester, in the United Kingdom. Will this be enough? Vinci and the CCI are in any case gambling their future on the subject: the airport concession contract comes to an end at the end of 2026. The procedures for appointing the new manager have already been launched.
France
