Arriving at Findel last Friday at noon, the passenger on a Bari-Luxembourg flight probably did not expect to leave with 850 euros in gift vouchers for duty-free, parking, the Oberweis restaurant as well as 500 euros offered for a Luxair flight. But fate decided that she would be the five millionth traveler of the year at Luxembourg airport.
A huge success for Findel, which had half as many passengers in 2014. If growth is not expected to be as significant over the next ten years, Alexander Flassak, CEO of lux-Airport, does not need to hammer home the observation. , it is so obvious. Luxembourg airport has become, by far, the number one regional airport, within a radius of 150 kilometers.
For comparison, that of Metz-Nancy, in perpetual crisis, recorded only 110,000 passengers this year and that of Saarbrücken 300,000 in 2023. Those of Liège (1 million) and Strasbourg (1.2 million) are also far behind. To find bigger than lux-Airport, you have to look at Charleroi (9.3 million), Cologne (9 million), even Brussels (22 million) and Frankfurt (61 to 65 million).
“More and more passengers are coming from further and further afield, especially from France and Germany. Less in Belgium,” explains Mr. Flassak, without wanting to play the competition card with his neighbors. Sometimes envied, the growth of Luxembourg can constitute great competition for those who are struggling to take off, or quite simply represent a lifeline. Synergies between Lorraine Aéroport and lux-Airport were mentioned last year, without the project having seen any significant developments in recent months. “We maintain excellent relations with neighboring airports, which we do not consider as adversaries,” responds the CEO to The essentials.
-Alone in the world, far in front of the others, the Findel must face its own limits. The optimization of the two terminals constitutes a first response on which the airport is working. The extension of the building, a second, with the planned opening in 2025 of the Skypark Business Center.
With more than 120 destinations, lux-Airport will never be a hub, but always a medium-sized airport that allows you to go to many places, from Europe to the Middle East via northern Africa . “That’s what makes it so attractive,” notes Mr. Flassak. As for the possibility of seeing long-haul flights emerge, everything will depend on the will of the companies. Flights to China could be more numerous and the dream of reaching the United States directly from Luxembourg has not yet been buried. “We put the infrastructure in place, it’s up to the companies to decide,” he concludes.
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