Following record growth in 2017, Toulouse-Blagnac, France’s third largest regional airport, is showing continued growth throughout the first couple of months of 2018.
In January the airport recorded +8.6% growth (679,150 passengers) and +2.4% growth in February (667,681 passengers). Domestic traffic saw a dip (-3.2%) in the second month of the year, primarily due to the cancellations of 137 flights, mainly in Paris, due to adverse weather conditions and a strike.
With 9.2 million passengers (1.1 million more than in 2016) travelling through the airport in 2017, last year’s growth has been attributed primarily to Aeroport Toulouse-Blagnac (ATB’s) development strategy to increase European low-cost traffic at the airport. Ryanair, easyJet and Volotea airlines have all seen increased activity at the French regional hub.
Following the many records set in 2017, the year ahead looks equally promising for the airport, particularly with the arrival of new facilities that will offer passengers an enhanced experience.
Explaining that the increased traffic has led to the need to improve facilities at the airport, Anne-Marie Idrac, president of the ATB supervisory board, explained:
A single area for security checks, incorporating the latest technologies, a more attractive range of shops and catering outlets within a vast commercial space, a boarding pier dedicated to low-cost and regional airlines, a 4-star hotel connected to the air terminal: this is what our airport will be offering its passenger in 2018.
With the airport’s commercial terminal undergoing a complete refurbishment, extension and enlargement, Dufry – the duty free and travel retail giant which has been awarded the contract to operate two new duty free stores at Toulouse-Blagnac – says the revamp will tie in with ATB’s strategy to offer its passengers all the services normally associated with a large international airport.
The retailer also says that the commercial merchandise offering is aimed specifically at the ‘Toulouse Airport Traveller’, which typically includes business and frequent travellers, plus low-cost passengers, families and children.
