January 15 (SeeNews) - Combined passenger numbers at the Bulgarian coastal airports of Varna and Burgas fell by 10.7% year-on-year to some 4.97 million in 2019, Germany’s Fraport Group, which operates the airports, said on Wednesday.
Passenger traffic at Varna airport dropped by an annual 8.7% to 2.1 million last year, while passenger numbers at Burgas airport decreased 12% to 2.9 million, Fraport said in a monthly report.
Combined aircraft movements at the two airports declined 13.7% to 35,422 in the review period. At Varna airport, aircraft take-offs and landings fell 13% to 15,468, while at Burgas airport aircraft movements decreased 14.3% to 19,954.
Cargo handled at the two airports plunged 43.1% to 4,871 t. Nearly all of it - 4,747 t. - was handled at Burgas airport.
In August, Fraport said that it expects the passenger traffic at the two Bulgarian airports to decrease by up to 10% year-on-year in 2019 due to the cancellation of WizzAir's service to Sofia, fewer travellers to and from Russia, Poland and Germany, and the reduction in Ryanair flights.
Fraport Twin Star Airport Management, a 60/40 joint venture of Fraport and Bulgarian company BM Star, is operating the two airports under a 35-year concession awarded in 2006.