Cyprus was amongst Europe’s top three fastest member states to recover from the covid pandemic in terms of air connectivity, according to Olivier Jankovec, ACI EUROPE’s Director General, who also describes the country’s airport concession with Hermes Airports as “a very good deal for the state”.
CBN caught up with the official during his recent visit to Cyprus for a number of high-level meetings ahead of the island’s Presidency of the Council of the EU.
In the interview, Jankovec analyses the findings of the European Region of the Airports Council International's Connectivity Report, how the lack of airport infrastructure is impacting Europe’s passenger growth and Cyprus' role in helping boost the aviation industry as it prepares to take over the Presidency of the Council of the EU.
As he says, the Connectivity Report for this year has found that the air connectivity of Europe as a whole is still at 9% below pre-covid levels.
He said the market is very differentiated, with huge performing gaps between national markets, but added that with air connectivity at 8% above 2019 levels, “Cyprus is actually outperforming; it’s amongst the three top fastest recoveries from covid in terms of air connectivity, along with Greece and Portugal. So, Cyprus is doing really well. Its air connectivity levels, if I remember well, are actually about 8% above 2019 levels. So it’s a very good result for Cyprus.
ACI EUROPE’s Director General also explains why he believes airport concessions are important for local economies, and what he thinks of Cyprus’ model in particular, with Hermes Airports. “Since this concession was established in Cyprus, the private operator has given I think €650 million, in concession fees to the state, which is a third of its revenue. So, I think that’s a very good deal for the state.”
Watch Olivier Jankovec’s full video below:
