In 2019, Karlovy Vary Airport recorded additional traffic increases. A total of 62,434 passengers were handled, representing a year-on-year increase of more than 43%. The growth in passenger numbers was primarily driven by the co-operation with Pobeda airlines, a Russian carrier, operating the Moscow (Vnukovo Airport) – Karlovy Vary route.
"Pobeda airline, which is currently the only partner of Karlovy Vary Airport in terms of scheduled flights, builds on previous years and successfully replaces the temporarily disrupted operations by Czech Airlines and Aeroflot. We are also very pleased that Pobeda has planned further capacity increases to 4-5 frequencies this year, thus confirming the continued interest of Russian clients in visits and stays in the Karlovy Vary Region," Martin Hurajčík, the Region’s Deputy Governor, stated.
In terms of aircraft movements, a 41% increase was recorded, representing a total of 7,736 take-offs and landings, primarily thanks to the launch of the 1st phase of the F Air flight school operation. Further growth is expected this year, owed, again, to the activities of the flight school, which is launching the 2nd operational phase with increased capacity. "The flight school operation is a welcomed diversification of airport activities and use of available capacity. However, we still ensure the school strictly adheres to the measure implemented with the goal to minimise the impact of airport operations on the environment in its vicinity, as per the contractual conditions concluded with the school operator," Jiří Pos, Karlovy Vary Airport CEO, added.
In the coming period, the airport management will negotiate with Uzbek tour operators the possibility of charter flights from Tashkent, or from Almaty, Kazakhstan. "At the same time, the EIA process will be launched to determine the environmental impact of the proposed widening and extending of the runway. Successful process completion is a necessary condition enabling us to proceed with preparatory steps towards the runway widening and extension. In the future, the runway parameters should comply with the requirements connected with the development of air connections to new destinations," Martin Hurajčík, the Region’s Deputy Governor, concluded.
