Memmingen Airport was close to reach the mark of one million passengers in the past year: After a Covid-related minus in the previous year, 2021 was marked by consolidation. For 2022 the airport management is in hope to reach the same passenger income on a same level before the pandemic.

After a balance of 690,780 passengers in 2020, Memmingen Airport was able to start climbing again in 2021 and recorded an increase of 42 percent with 980,503 passengers. “Despite all the restrictions, the desire and will to travel was clearly noticeable among our passengers,” explains Airport Managing Director Ralf Schmid. The airlines with service to Memmingen did their best to maintain an attractive offer and even expand it with some new destinations, he added. Only recently, the new flight connections from Memmingen to Plovdiv (Bulgaria) and to Lappeenranta in Finland celebrated their premiere. In total 11 new destinations were added.

Last year, the airport helped medical personnel, harvest workers and students to reach their places of work and study. Visiting friends and relatives also continued to play a major role. Rescue flights by the German Armed Forces attracted a great deal of attention. On several occasions, the Airbus A310 MedEvac of the German military landed at Memmingen Airport to take patients from several intensive care units in Bavaria on board and transport them to northern German states for treatment.

The airport has now started the new year with optimism and the hope to match the previous record of around 1.7 million passengers set in 2019. “Furthermore, Corona represents a major challenge, especially with the new virus variant Omikron,” says Ralf Schmid. Nevertheless, the hope is that the situation will calm down in early summer. This year, in the 15th year of civil flight operations in Memmingen, the company is cautiously optimistic that it will be able to continue its climb. “It remains to be seen what impact upcoming Corona waves will have on tourism and air traffic,” emphasizes Ralf Schmid. He adds that Memmingen Airport has further strengthened its position as southern Germany’s leading low-cost airport in recent months and has impressively demonstrated that it is one of the most important air traffic locations in the south of the country, which also plays a significant role for its neighbouring countries Austria and Switzerland.

Its contribution to further growth is also expected to come from last year’s largest construction project. The completed expansion of the baggage hall with arrivals area now offers passengers greater comfort and enables better compliance with hygiene standards. Further expansion and optimization measures on the second floor of the terminal are to follow this year. The new ILS 06 instrument landing system will also be put into operation, and the rainwater retention basin is to be completed. Further work is planned on the apron areas. This year, the company also intends to take a step closer to its declared goal of climate-neutral flight operations. Ralf Schmid: “Our goal is zero! 0 percent CO2 until 2030 by reducing and offsetting CO2 emissions around flight operations.”

In terms of passenger favourability, Sofia came first last year, followed by Skopje and Palma. On March 27, Ryanair will connect Memmingen Airport with Santiago de Compostela for the first time. There will then be two flights a week (Sunday and Thursday) to the northern Spanish city. There are already 53 destinations bookable with 4 airlines from Memmingen for next summer.

Summer flight schedule