Flughafen Wien AG in Q1/2022: Significant increase in passenger numbers and pleasing improvement in earnings with a positive result for the period of € 6.7 million – strong summer season expected
Q1/2022: significant improvement in the Group vs. 2021 to 3.7 million passengers – corresponds to about half the comparable level of 2019
Financial performance indicators for Q1/2022: revenue almost doubled to € 110.9 million and a positive net profit for the period of € 6.7 million, substantial improvements in EBITDA and EBIT vs. 2021
April 2022: 2.3 million passengers in the Flughafen Wien Group – close to eight times the level of April 2021 – 1.8 million passengers at Vienna Airport
Guidance: about 21 million passengers expected in the Flughafen Wien Group and approx. 17 million at Vienna Airport as well as revenue of € 560 million, EBITDA of at least € 172 million and a consolidated net profit of at least € 20 million. To the extent that passenger development exceeds expectations in the months ahead, a significant improvement of business results could take place. A revised projection is expected no later than at the time of the half-year results.
Vienna Airport sets a milestone for climate protection: Austria’s largest photovoltaic facility starts producing electricity at the airport today – 55,000 solar panels on 24 hectares supply more than 30 million KW of solar power per hour
January to March 2022: 2.9 million passengers at Vienna Airport
In the first quarter of 2022, the Flughafen Wien Group including the foreign strategic investments in Malta Airport and Kosice Airport reported a significant increase in passenger traffic compared to the first quarter of 2021 which was shaped by the coronavirus pandemic and the correspondingly low level of passenger traffic. The number of passengers handled by the Flughafen Wien Group rose by 440.4% year-on-year to 3,660,347 travellers. The number of passengers at Vienna Airport was up to 2,933,472 travellers (+412.2%). The number of flight movements from January to March 2022 was up to 30,329 starts and landings. The average capacity utilisation of the aircraft (seat load factor) in the first quarter of 2022 rose from 49.4% in the prior-year period to 62.4% (vs. 70.7% in Q1/2019). Cargo volume (air cargo and trucking) at Vienna Airport increased by 2.0% from the previous year to 61,030 tonnes. Malta Airport registered an increase of 672,965 travellers (+>500%). Kosice Airport also showed passenger growth, handling 53,910 passengers (+>500%).
Q1/2022: Revenue nearly doubled to € 110.9 million (+ 92.9%) and rise in net profit to € 6.7 million
Revenue of the Flughafen Wien Group in Q1/2022 amounted to € 110.9 million, comprising an increase of 92.9% from the previous year. EBITDA was up year-on-year to € 46.3 million and EBIT climbed to € 12.4 million. The net profit for the period before non-controlling interests, supported by income from a property sale, increased to € 6.7 million in Q1/2022. The net debt of the company declined to € 145.4 million (31 December 2021: € 150.4 million). The free cash flow in Q1/2022 amounted to minus € 58.8 million (Q1/2021: minus € 28.8 million).
Revenue and earnings development of the segments
Q1/2022 revenue of the Airport Segment increased from the prior-year quarter to € 49.0 million, and segment EBIT improved to minus € 7.2 million. The Handling and Security Services Segment registered a rise in revenue to € 25.2 million, with the segment’s EBIT up to € 0.9 million. This segment also includes the security services of VIAS as well as the handling services provided by Vienna Aircraft Handling (VAH) and Vienna Passenger Handling Services (VPHS). The Retail & Properties Segment reported a rise in revenue to € 21.9 million in Q1/2022 and is thus 30.8% above the previous year’s level. EBIT of this segment improved to € 15.0 million. Revenue of the Malta Segment was up to € 10.8 million in Q1/2022, whereas segment EBIT totalled € 1.1 million. Revenue of the Other Segments totalled € 4.0 million in Q1/2022 and segment EBIT amounted to € 2.5 million.
Investments
In the first three months of 2022, a total of € 10.1 million (Q1/2021. € 6.3 million) was invested in intangible assets, property, plant and equipment as well as an investment property or paid as advance payments. The largest investment projects at Vienna Airport included € 1.8 million for photovoltaic facilities, € 1.3 million in connection with the central IT backup and € 1.1 million for the exit/entry system in the terminal. A total of € 1.2 million was invested at Malta Airport in the first quarter of 2022.
2022
The Flughafen Wien Group expects about 17 million passengers at Vienna Airport in the entire year 2022 and a total of approx. 21 million travellers in the Flughafen Wien Group (including the foreign strategic investments). Moreover, the Flughafen Wien Group expects to generate revenue of about € 560 million in the 2022 financial year along with a positive EBITDA of at least € 172 million and a positive consolidated net profit of at least € 20 million. The company’s net debt will likely fall to a level below € 50 million. Investments will equal approx. € 84 million. A continued outperformance of passenger traffic compared to the budgeted figures would positively impact business results, especially the cash flow, EBITDA and net profit. It is still difficult to predict further developments in Ukraine and the further course of the coronavirus pandemic.
Traffic results in April 2022: perceptible upward trend before the summer season
Flughafen Wien Group: 2.3 million passengers in April 2022
In April 2022, the Flughafen Wien Group (Vienna Airport, Malta Airport and Kosice Airport) reported a total of 2,338,303 travellers (+>500% vs. April 2021). This still represents a decline of 31.8% from the pre-crisis level of April 2019. Â
Vienna Airport: 1.8 million passengers in April 2022
Passenger volume at Vienna Airport in the month of April 2022 strongly improved compared to the previous year, with the number of passengers up to a total of 1,790,275 travellers (+>500%). Nevertheless, passenger volume was still 34.8% lower than the pre-crisis level of April 2019.
Traffic results in detail
The number of local passengers at Vienna Airport in April 2022 increased year-on-year to 1,370,980 (+>500%), whereas the number of transfer passengers rose to 408.858 (+356.3%). Flight movements were up to 15,174 in April 2022 (+202.9% vs. April 2021). The air cargo business reported 21,934 tonnes, down only 6.8% from the pre-crisis level of April 2019.
The total number of passengers at Vienna Airport flying to destinations in Western Europe in April 2022 climbed to 638,354 (+>500%), whereas Eastern European traffic rose to 139,358 (+344.4%) vs. 2021. Passenger traffic to North America was up from the prior-year level to 22,637 (+>500%), and the number of passengers flying to Africa increased to 22,479 (+>500%) vs. 2021. Passenger volumes to the Middle East rose to 54,764 (+>500%), and the number of passengers flying to Far Eastern destinations climbed to 12,128 in April 2022 (+417.0%) vs. 2021.
Malta Airport reported an increase in passenger volume in the month of April 2022 to 513,979 (+>500%), whereas the total number of passengers handled by Kosice Airport rose to 34,049 (+>500%) vs. 2021.
