Year landmark in 2024 which recorded a historical record at passenger movement
“2025 has started well. Indications remain positive, despite the many questions that exist in the international environment. “. This was said yesterday by the CEO of Athens International Airport (AIA), Mr. Yiannis Paraschis, regarding the prospects of this year during the annual general meeting of shareholders.
He described a landmark year in 2024 as he recorded a historical record at passenger -level level and “an impressive increase in relation to the European average”.
However, as he predicted, “we expect a single -digit growth rate for the whole year and a correspondingly low single -digit growth rate in medium -term horizon”.
According to Mr Paraschi, “Athens Airport with 31.85 million passengers in 2024 had increased much greater than both 2023 and 2019 compared to other European airports -it is indicative that especially compared to the pre -Pantemical period the increase in Europe in 2024 was at +1.8%, when it was at +1.8%when in +24.5%. This divergence cannot continue for a long time, so we also have these estimates for a single -digit rate of rise, “he commented. He said that based on 2024 data, AIA is the 8th in EU passenger airport traffic, while overseas interconnection has been in the 9th place on the list of the best knots in Europe, based on OAG data.
Given the circumstances, which are shaped on the international market due to geopolitical developments and the US US Government Policy, Athens Airport is turning its attention to the east. Although the Chinese market is returning relatively slow after the pandemic, it is estimated that it will go better in the coming years. “The Chinese market and Asian markets in general are an important goal for us. We already have a direct connection to Shanghai and direct connections to Beijing and we have an additional airline that will start from China next time. “said Mr. Paraschis.
At the same time, he pointed out that both Greek airlines and internationals continue to invest in “Eleftherios Venizelos”.
Investment program
“The increase in passenger traffic, coupled with the benefits of integrating the two phases of expansion, as they were initially presented, led to the strategic revision of the program for 40 million passengers by 2032,” the AIA leader explained.
The investment program is € 1.28 billion and the important thing is that Athens Airport does not need corridors or tracks (can serve a capacity of more than 50 million passengers), but new investments will mainly relate to terminals, car parking spaces. “We have begun the process of assigning the first phase concerning the aircraft parking space (32 seats in the northern part of the track expected in the second quarter of 2027). As for the new 7 -storey vehicle parking lot, this is an additional 3,500 seats and is also expected in the second quarter of 2027, ”he said.
In relation to the funding of the program, the amount of EUR 800 million has been secured through bank lending, an additional EUR 240 million has been provided through the Scrip Dividend process (up to € 100 million from the profits of 2024 and up to € 140 million in addition to the next three years), with the remaining capital.
The extension plan includes the doubling of the commercial spaces at 34,000 sq.m. compared to about 13,500 sq.m. Today (+150%), offering a particular growth potential to the non -aircraft revenue, which is expected to be gradually noticeable by the end of 2028 onwards. Currently, the first two competitions of the large extension, which relate to the high -rise parking and the new northwestern track, are under assignment.
Regarding the revenue of expansion investments, they will begin to be “registered” in the second half of 2027, as the new high -rise car park will start operating then, and by the end of 2028 they will start running from other commercial activities (shops, etc.).
Finally, it should be noted that the shareholders of the AIA approved the annual financial statements of 2024, the relevant reports of the Board of Directors and the Independent Certified Auditors, as well as the corporate governance statement and the sustainability report. They also approved the dividend of EUR 0.7862 per share, as well as the four -year dividend reinvestment program (2025 – 2028).
