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Passenger traffic at the 'Henri Coanda' International Airport of Bucharest is nearing 800,000 this July, down 42 percent from 2019, and is seen ending 2021 on a pessimistic forecast, at around 5.5 million - maximum 6 million travelers, provided that the 4th COVID-19 wave doesn't bring along very tough restrictions, CEO of the Bucharest Airports National Corporation (CNAB) Cosmin Pestesan said on Monday.
"Numbers as of July 18 show that we are headed for 800,000 air travelers in July. We closed June with 600,000. We are at 42 percent below 2019 and 32 percent less as regards aircraft movements. Summer is according to projections. Unfortunately, the first 5 months did not turn out to our advantage and we don't know whether the 4th wave will strike or not. We do see the restrictions, countries switch overnight to the red or yellow high infection risk zone. Our recommendation is for everyone to get vaccinated and use the Covid green certificate, because we have separate, dedicated corridors for incoming travelers, even if they come from red or yellow areas; if they have the Covid digital certificate, they have priority at entering the country," Pestesean said on the occasion of the airport's Open Doors Day.
In the opinion of the CNAB CEO, the 'Henri Coanda' Airport will register this year a maximum of 6 million passengers, almost half the traffic recorded in 2019, before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, agerpres.ro confirms.
"The budget we built in February relied on a forecast in line with Airport Council International predictions, ie between the average and the pessimistic forecast. We built our budget for 6.8 million passengers. Regrettably, the first months didn't confirm our forecasts. Provided that we are spared a 4th or 5th wave with very tough restrictions, we will probably end the year on the pessimistic forecast made in February, at around 5.5 million - maximum 6 million passengers. Probably around half the 2019 figure," he said.
The five-month passenger traffic amounted to 1.2 million, the figure usually registered in a "good month" in 2019, and there were 600,000 air travelers in June, half the aggregate January - May number.
