Airport Weeze, located just over the border near Nijmegen, is in financial difficulties. The number of passengers has decreased drastically this year. The operator has requested support from a regional fund, the report said in the FD.
The proposed increase in the air tax in Germany will exacerbate the problems of Weeze Airport. Closing is not yet the case, says director Ludger van Bebber in a conversation with De Gelderlander.
This year, the number of travelers using Weeze drops to 1,3 million, a decrease of 25% compared to last year. Traditionally, many travelers from the Netherlands also use the former British military airport that runs on holiday flights by price stunters.
Ryanair move
A partial move from Ryanair, the main airline at the airport, to Düsseldorf Airport was a blow to the airport. Weeze remained home to Ryanair, but had fewer aircraft to process.
The German airport says it needs € 2 million in public money in the short term. The operator has applied for millions of euros in aid from a regional fund.
According to director Van Bebber, Weeze airport can last for another year. "But if the higher flight tax continues and the number of travelers continues to decline, it will certainly affect our financial health in twelve months."
Germany will introduce a higher air tax in April. The tax on a European ticket is doubled to € 13. "That is going to hit us hard," the airport director of Weeze airport tells the regional newspaper. Germany has applied an air tax for eight years, which will be increased in 2020.
