Brussels Airport welcomed over 1.4 million passengers in February, marking a 65% increase compared to the same period in 2022, which was significantly impacted by Covid-related travel
restrictions. The Carnival holidays, which lasted two weeks until March for French-speaking schoolchildren and one week for Dutch-speaking schoolchildren, contributed to the increase in passenger numbers. More passengers left than arrived, with the share of transfer passengers exceeding 16%, double that of February 2022. This confirms Brussels Airport's position as a major hub.
The top ten countries visited in February were Spain, Germany, Italy, the UK, Switzerland, France, the USA, Turkey, Portugal, and Morocco.
Cargo volumes decline by 2%
Cargo volumes at Brussels Airport saw a 2% decline in February compared to the same period in 2022. This was mainly due to a 16% decrease in trucked cargo volumes and geopolitical tensions. However, air cargo volumes increased slightly by 2% compared to February 2022. The full cargo segment grew by 5%, and cargo carried on passenger aircraft also grew by 6%, but there was a 3% decrease in the express services segment.
Asia, Africa, and North America were the main importing regions, with Asia and Africa increasing their volumes by 20% and 4% respectively, while North America saw its volumes fall by 16%. In terms of exports, Asia and Africa also saw an increase in their volumes by 28% and 2% respectively, while North America's volumes fell by 21%.
Flight movements increase by 27%
The total number of flight movements at Brussels Airport grew by 27% in February 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. The number of passenger flights increased by 44%, averaging 136 passengers per flight, while the number of cargo flights decreased by 5% due to the cessation of cargo-only passenger flights in July 2022.
In conclusion, Brussels Airport's passenger traffic has seen a significant increase in February 2023 compared to the same period last year. While cargo volumes experienced a slight decline, air cargo volumes increased slightly. The airport's position as a major hub is confirmed, with a significant share of transfer passengers. Photo by Lucash, Wikimedia commons.