Summary of 2024 and the Future of Polish Aviation Infrastructure – Challenges, Cooperation, Development

Polish Airports (PPL) and the Association of Regional Airports organized a unique event dedicated to summarizing the year 2024 at Polish airports and discussing the development prospects for Polish aviation infrastructure.

The year 2024 was a breakthrough for global and European air traffic. According to Airports Council International Europe (ACI Europe), nearly 10 billion passengers worldwide used air transport services. Forecasts indicate that by 2042, this number will increase to 20 billion, and by 2052, it could grow by as much as 2.5 times.

Europe witnessed a historic moment when, for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, passenger traffic exceeded 2019 levels. In 2024, European airports handled over 2.5 billion travelers, marking a 7.4% increase compared to 2023 and a 1.8% rise compared to 2019. This growth was primarily driven by an increasing number of international passengers (+8.8% compared to 2023), while domestic traffic grew by only 2.5% year-on-year and still remains below pre-pandemic levels.

In Poland, passenger traffic reached 59.5 million travelers, reflecting a 15.6% increase compared to 2023 and an impressive 22% growth over 2019. Warsaw Chopin Airport recorded record-breaking results, handling over 21.3 million passengers – 15.1% more than the previous year. Notably, this airport accounts for 36% of all air traffic in Poland. Along with other airports managed by PPL (RDO and IEG) and those where PPL is the majority shareholder (KRK), these facilities handle as much as 55% of total passenger traffic in the country.

• “The last joint annual aviation summary by PPL and the Association of Regional Airports took place in February 2020, exactly five years ago, just before the outbreak of the pandemic and the historically most challenging period not only for Polish but also for global aviation. Polish airports have not only returned to pre-pandemic numbers but have surpassed them. We just heard that Polish airports handled 22% more passengers in 2024 than in 2019, significantly outperforming Europe in this regard. But let’s also look at other, even more important figures for the Polish economy. In 2020, Artur Tomasik, CEO of Katowice Airport, spoke about investment plans in Polish regional airports worth 3 billion PLN. And what is the situation today? 3 billion is now just the investment plan for Kraków alone, plus 1.5 billion in Katowice, and 0.5 billion in Modlin. These are investments in the development of these ports – 5 billion PLN, and we are talking about only three regional airports. On top of that, there is the modernization of Warsaw Chopin Airport and the CPK [Central Communication Hub] project. Investments in Polish aviation and regional airports are today, just like the results of Polish airports, at historic levels.” – noted Marcin Danił, Member of the Management Board for Financial and Commercial Affairs of PPL S.A.

Polish regional airports also recorded impressive results – they handled nearly 38 million travelers, representing a 14.4% increase compared to 2023 and a significant 26.2% rise over 2019. As a result, regional airports now account for 64% of air traffic in Poland.

• “Passengers are increasingly choosing regional airports. Our airports have a rich and well-prepared offer, which is reflected in the results. Today, Polish regional airports are stronger than before the pandemic, having handled over 26% more passengers than in 2019.” – said Anna Midera, President of Łódź Airport and President of the Association of Regional Airports.

Debate on the Future of Polish Aviation Infrastructure

Following the presentation of results, a debate was held under the title “The Future of Polish Aviation Infrastructure – Challenges, Cooperation, Development.” The discussion featured leading representatives of Polish airports and state administration, including Maciej Lasek, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Government Plenipotentiary for CPK, Anna Midera, President of Łódź Airport and the Association of Regional Airports, Filip Czernicki, President of CPK, Marcin Danił, Member of the Management Board for Financial and Commercial Affairs of PPL, and Adam Sanocki, Member of the Management Board for Strategy and Marketing at PPL.

During the debate, experts addressed key issues related to the development of aviation infrastructure in Poland, including the growing demand for new investments, optimization of the route network, and cooperation between regional airports and the planned New Chopin Airport. Challenges related to the ecological transformation of the aviation sector and the pursuit of climate neutrality were also discussed.

• The Ministry of Infrastructure is consistently implementing a balanced development policy for Poland’s aviation infrastructure, where both the CPK and regional airports play a key role. We clearly see that passenger traffic is growing – in 2024, Polish airports handled nearly 59.5 million passengers, and ACI Europe forecasts indicate that global air traffic will double by 2042. This demonstrates how crucial strategic investment planning is today, in dialogue with all stakeholders. A prime example is our collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, which has secured funding for the CPK project until 2032, said Maciej Lasek, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Government Plenipotentiary for CPK.

• The CPK [Central Transport HUB] and Polish Airports (PPL) share a common goal – to create a modern, efficient, and well-coordinated airport system in Poland that will meet the dynamically growing demand for air travel. The cooperation between CPK and PPL is the foundation for the success of this project, said Dr. Filip Czernicki, President of the Management Board of CPK Centralny Port Komunikacyjny, when asked during the debate about areas of cooperation between the two companies.

The conclusions from the event clearly indicate that Poland’s aviation sector is experiencing dynamic growth and is a vital pillar of the economy. The added value generated by airports in Poland amounts to approximately €14 billion annually, and the sector provides nearly 500,000 jobs. Experts agree that the key challenge in the coming years will not only be infrastructure development but also its adaptation to increasing environmental and technological requirements, as well as ensuring harmonious cooperation between various entities in the aviation market.

• Aviation in Europe is currently developing at two different speeds – while the entire market has reached 2.5 billion passengers, surpassing 2019 levels by 1.8%, the situation varies from country to country. Poland recorded dynamic growth, reaching 59.5 million passengers, which is as much as 22% more than before the pandemic. However, half of European airports have still not returned to pre-crisis levels. The ESG transformation remains one of the biggest challenges for the aviation sector in the coming years. A key document in this regard is the latest “Destination 2050” report, which outlines four pillars of emissions reduction in aviation. The greatest potential lies in alternative fuels (SAF), which could account for 56% of emissions reduction. New aviation technologies, such as more efficient engines and hybrid propulsion, are expected to reduce emissions by 27%. Economic mechanisms, including compensation systems and environmental charges, will contribute 12%, while improvements in air traffic management will allow for a 6% reduction, said Adam Sanocki, Board Member for Strategy and Communication at PPL S.A., summarizing the debate.

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