Frankfurt Airport rebounds with 3.4M passengers but still trails 2019 levels
Frankfurt Airport is recovering from pandemic lows, though passenger numbers remain below pre-2020 levels. The airport handled 3.4 million travellers in February 2023, still 25 percent fewer than in February 2019. Meanwhile, operator Fraport has reported improved financial results and ambitious sustainability targets for the coming years.
Fraport’s 2022 performance showed signs of recovery, with a net profit of €166.6 million—nearly double the previous year’s figure. However, earnings still fell short of the €454.3 million recorded in 2019. CEO Dr. Stefan Schulte highlighted strong demand, particularly from private travellers, as a key driver of growth.
Capacity challenges emerged in 2022, with staff shortages pushing growth rates to 300 percent at mid-year peaks. To address this, Fraport increased its workforce by eight percent to 19,211 employees by the end of 2022. Plans for 2023 include hiring around 1,500 additional staff in ground handling to stabilise operations.
Looking ahead, Fraport expects passenger numbers to rise by 15 to 25 percent this summer compared to 2022. By the end of 2023, the company aims to reach around 90 percent of 2019 traffic, potentially welcoming up to 63 million travellers.
On sustainability, Fraport has set clear targets: capping annual CO₂ emissions at 50,000 tons by 2030 and achieving carbon-neutral operations by 2045. The citizens' initiative PRO Flughafen praised the company’s efforts, noting its use of solar and wind power as a model for reducing emissions.
Fraport’s recovery continues, with passenger growth and profitability improving since 2021. The company’s focus remains on expanding staff numbers and meeting sustainability goals. If current trends hold, Frankfurt Airport could approach pre-pandemic traffic levels by the end of the year.
