In response to a dramatic decline in passenger volumes as a result of COVID-19 Swedish airport operator, Swedavia, has implemented an action plan to adapt its services. Operations across Swedavia’s network of 10 airports will be scaled down to a minimum based on the market situation. Meanwhile, a comprehensive review of the company’s investment portfolio is also being carried out.

“We are in the midst of a social crisis of an unprecedented nature,” said Jonas Abrahamsson, Swedavia’s President and CEO. “Our most important priority now is to limit the spread of the disease and protect people’s lives and health. However, the consequences for a company that enables people to meet are dramatic, since our revenue is in principle completely variable and connected in one way or another to passenger volume.”

For the first two months of March the decrease in passenger volume across Swedavia’s airport network was around 30%. This downturn is expected to continue as airlines continue to suspend services.

While the airport operator reports it will do its utmost to safeguard its mission of providing access to meet the current demand from commercial traffic and air ambulance flights it also warns that it expects to lay off 1,900 out of a total of about 2,500 employees until further notice.

Abrahamsson concludes that: “When the situation around COVID-19 has stabilised and demand has once again rebounded, we naturally want to be able to scale up our operations as quickly as possible and then have our fantastic employees back. However, right now, there is enormous uncertainty about future developments, and it is not possible to provide any forecasts as to the future. We therefore also need to prepare ourselves by creating room for manoeuvre as developments unfold.”

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