L'Beauvais airport 90 km north of Paris has to manage its success. The platform, set in the middle of the fields of the Picardy plain, is in fact the only French airport to exceed its 2019 traffic levels by 2022the last before the Covid crisis. Last year, Beauvais was the only major French airport to record double-digit growth. compared with 2019.
Traffic increased by 15.8%. Passenger volumes will reach 4.61 million in 2022.. " It's a very pleasant surprise indeed. And for passengers, it means a lower airport tax" says Oliver Dessertaine, Finance and Legal Director of Société aéroportuaire de gestion et d'exploitation de Beauvais (SAGEB). SAGEB has been awarded a 15-year concession. A concession that will come to an end inSummer 2023.
Several airport operating companies are in the running. The airport has real potential, both geographically and in certain segments.
Geographically, the airport is a long way from Paris. It takes between an hour and an hour and a half to get there by shuttle bus from Porte Maillot. " But we have a catchment area of 5 million passengers. Within a one-hour radius of the airport, this includes the greater north of Paris, Picardy with Amiens and even Normandy" says Edo Friart, the airport's Commercial Director.
Low-cost advantages and Central Europe
This potential, for example, has attracted easyJetwhich, in the space of a few months, launched three overhead lines to Lisbon, Milan and Nice. " There is no doubt that the Nice-Beauvais line attracts a very regional clientele rather than a purely Parisian one, where the offer is already substantial. We are already looking at other potential routessays Reginald Otten, Easyjet's Deputy Director for France.
Beauvais is, par excellence, a low-cost airport. According to the DGAC, 99.4% of its traffic is generated by low-cost airlinesRyanair and Wizzair are the two largest operators. " We only have one traditional airline and that's Air Moldova. In fact, this is the only airport that this airline serves in Paris." says Edo Friart.
Beauvais has built its reputation in this niche market, particularly for business travellers. The Paris-area platform offers exclusive air routes in Central Europe and the Balkans. Examples include Cluj Napoca and Timisoara in Romania, Debrecen in Hungary, Zadar in Croatia, Skopje in Macedonia, Tirana in Albania and Poznan and Gdansk in Poland. " We were also very strong in Ukraine before the war" adds the Sales Director.
Beauvais is also linked to many Italian regional cities, Portugal, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Morocco and Jordan.. In total more than 80 towns are being served regularly this summer. " We would like to develop more flights to the UK, Turkey and North Africa. But for Algeria and Tunisia, we are dependent on stricter bilateral traffic rights." explains Edo Friart.
Against this flourishing backdrop for the airport, the future operator of the hub will have to make major investments. " Over the last 15 years, SAGEB has invested €47 million. But it is likely to need 200 to 400 million euros in the next few years so that the airport can manage the growth in its traffic" says Olivier Dessertaine.
With 5 million passengers - which is likely to be reached this year - the two Beauvais terminals will be saturated. SAGEB will therefore leave it to the next concessionaire to assess the necessary investments.
A series of investments for the new owners
But there's no doubt that it will be necessary, either extend the two existing terminals or create a new terminal or connecting building between the two structures. Not to mention the need for new car parks. And the expansion of screening and security areas for boarding. The authorities recognise that the terminals need to offer a level of comfort more in line with passenger expectations. " While remaining a low-cost airport" insists Edo Friart.
Improvements could include a covered pedestrian walkway between the car parks, bus station and terminals. More seats and USB sockets in the terminals, or flight information boards as soon as you enter the airport grounds. " We are currently considering installing flight departure monitors on the coaches that shuttle from Paris." management assures us. The rail connection will also have to be improved in the long term. But this is a matter for the State, the SNCF and the region...
Beauvais has a bright future ahead of it. " Of course, business traffic is still marginal. But with our niche positioning on certain destinations and For many SMEs with tight travel budgets, Beauvais is a credible alternative" stresses Edo Friart. In the first two months of 2023, Beauvais already recorded 760,000 passengers. That's an increase of 35,7% compared with the same two months in 2019.
