Foreign carriers save French airports from marginalization
March 27, 2011
LILLE (eTN) – Since its first edition eight years ago, French Connect conference has turned into a major event to meet and talk with most French airports. Debates between airline CEOs, EU representatives, French officials, and airport directors provide an instant image of France’s air transport. Lille, France’s largest metropolis in the northern part of the country played host this week to French Connect.
France’s airports in Europe are unique in many aspects. Compared to other countries in Europe, passenger traffic is highly concentrated in Paris. Over a total of 151.8 million passengers traveled through French airports in 2010; both Paris Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports had a market share of 55.2%, the equivalent of 83.3 million passengers. France’s second airport in Nice has traffic volume that is 8.6 times smaller than both Paris airports (9.6 million passengers). The gap between the first