Swedavia’s ten airports served a record 39,512,000 passengers in 2016, up 5% or almost 2m passengers compared to 2015. However, the company says it saw lower retail sales per passenger (overall) between January and September last year.

 

The main reasons for this are said to be a ‘change in purchasing behaviour’ as well as a change in the mix of destinations, says the Swedish airports operator. “Our challenge is to continue developing the commercial offering at the airports,” said the then President and CEO, Karl Wistrand. [New CEO Jonas Abrahamsson began on 2 January].

 

Revenue registered from retail and food & beverage for the nine-month period remained unchanged year-on-year, due to a decline in average sales per passenger. Commercial revenue per departing passenger totalled SEK 74.3 (75.4).

 

“The decrease in sales is mostly due to a change in the mix of destinations, which led to lower tax-and-duty free sales and a change in passengers’ purchasing behaviour,” added Swedavia in last year’s nine-month financial statement.

 

NEW YEAR, NEW BOSS

However, the company’s new CEO Jonas Abrahamsson – who begins his new job this month – is largely positive in his outlook.

 

“It is really great that travel continues to grow so sharply. Air travel is an important prerequisite that gives businesses and individuals opportunities to have meetings and experiences. This growth also highlights the necessity of our ongoing investment to increase capacity at our airports.”

 

International travel at Swedavia’s airports grew 6% to 25,787,000 passengers in 2016. Domestic travel was up 3%, from 13,262,000 passengers in 2015 to 13,724,000 for the full-year 2016.

 

Intercontinental air travel increased the most; 10% to 2,253,000 passengers. European traffic increased 6% to 23,534,000 passengers.

 

Seven of Swedavia’s ten airports set new passenger records for the full-year 2016. Stockholm Arlanda Airport saw growth of 7%, to 24,702,000 passengers and Göteborg Landvetter Airport set a new record of 3% growth.