Saarbrücken Airport: Positive balance sheet, solid prospects

At today's annual press conference, the management presented the plans for the coming years and last year's results. It became clear that the development since the coronavirus slump has been continuously positive and the airport is in a solid economic position for the coming years.

The management of Saarbrücken Airport (SCN), Rita Gindorf-Wagner and Thomas Schuck, drew a positive balance for 2023 at the annual press conference in the airport terminal and made it clear that SCN is economically well positioned for the coming years.

The general conditions remain extremely difficult for the entire aviation industry and the travel sector. The disruptive effects of the coronavirus crisis have not yet been overcome. And with consumer reluctance to spend in the wake of economic uncertainty, inflation and crises around the world, as well as ever-increasing safety requirements and general cost increases, the industry is facing additional challenges. Saarbrücken International Airport is no exception.

Nevertheless, the airport recorded growth in all key figures last year:

• Since the coronavirus slump, passenger numbers have risen steadily, reaching over 309,000 passengers, an increase of 3.5% on the previous year.

• Almost 29,000 passengers used the scheduled connections, which corresponds to an increase of 12.8%.

• Tourist air traffic will remain the most important pillar in the future, with 280,000 passengers, an increase of 2.5% compared to the same period last year.

• The number of scheduled and tourist flight movements now stands at 2,973, an increase of 3.5 %.

The airport's development is therefore in line with the national trend. This also applies to traffic development with increasing European and decreasing domestic German frequencies. In terms of the so-called recovery rate, i.e. the ratio of the last pre-corona year to the current year, SCN's passenger figures of almost 85% are even slightly above the German average of just under 80%.

The number of passengers is expected to grow to over 345,000 in 2024.

"The airport must be structurally positioned for the coming years so that it can fulfill its role as part of the transport infrastructure and link Saarland to economic and tourist centers in Germany and abroad in the long term. In this way, it will make its contribution to growth and employment in Saarland as a business, science and tourism location. A solid economic basis with a balanced operating result and forward-looking investments in the potential of the location are crucial for this," explains Managing Director Thomas Schuck.

Managing Directors Gindorf-Wagner and Schuck explained in detail what measures the airport would take to achieve a balanced operating result by the end of the European Union's notification period in 2027. The airport will only receive state aid for the amounts necessary to offset operating losses. The security costs for the fire department, passenger and baggage control, federal police, etc. - just under EUR 1.6 million in 2023 - will not be taken into account. This is because these are sovereign activities that the SCN performs for the state and are compensated as part of a cost reimbursement.

Measures planned or, in some cases, already initiated in the process of securing the economic future affect infrastructure, passengers, employees and commercial partners in equal measure:

• Numerous investments in security (e.g. concrete elements as critical points, increased video surveillance), technology (e.g. completely refurbished runway strips and approach pylons, modern lighting) and energy management (e.g. expansion of local heating network, acquisition of PV systems on southern area) ensure that the airport is appropriately positioned for future developments.

• A new, service-oriented website with an app offers booking options for flights, travel, hotels and rental cars and assistance with current questions.

• The SCN is to be developed into an event venue, and conference rooms and event spaces are to be booked by interested parties. The spectrum ranges from workshops and after-work parties to cultural events and guided tours. The first measures are set to begin this year.

• Cooperation with existing partners such as the German Armed Forces (207 flight movements in 2023) or local maintenance and repair companies.

• The focus will also be on the further expansion of the airport as an attractive employer. 

"The airport's workforce is currently undergoing a generational change due to its age structure. A shortage of skilled workers, demographic change, competition from other large companies in the region and - due to its role in the security chain - specific technical requirements are making the search for suitable personnel equally difficult. In order to retain employees and attract new ones, we offer a wide range of benefits, from attractive pay, flexible working time models and further training measures to numerous benefits as part of our company health management program. We want to remain one of the top employers in the region in the future," emphasizes Managing Director Gindorf-Wagner.