Milan’s Malpensa airport is once again close to pre-pandemic levels. A recovery in grand style with 97% of 2019 traffic registered this September. Which is by no means to be taken for granted considering the fundamental contribution of long-haul traffic, and passenger flows that have lagging behind short and medium haul traffic in the post-Covid restart.
The recovery is even more impressive if we then add the return of flights from Asia, with both Korean Air, from Seoul, and Cathay Pacific Airways, from Hong Kong, back in Malpensa's skies. Then just a few days ago Eva Air made its debut from Seoul after a two-year delay, and All Nippon Airways is expected next spring.
"Traffic has been returning to normal since the industry restarted, although there are still risks due to the ongoing conflict in Europe," said Armando Brunini, managing director of Sea Aeroporti, which manages Milan’s Linate and Malpensa airports. “Our airport system recovered fast, posting 97% of pre-pandemic traffic in September. We now have over 195 destinations, and 75 airlines." And, barring unforeseen external events, Malpensa airport's Terminal 2 could be reopened "for the summer of 2023,” and with some novelties “certainly from a technological point of view.”
Everything seems to point to Malpensa handling 37 million passengers by 2035, a +40% increase over the pre-Covid period, as envisaged by the recent National Airport Plan. But there are still some knots that need to be undone, such as the 'in-house competition' of Linate, Milan's city airport, and the lack of a carrier using Malpensa as its hub.
Mariella Cattaneo
Journalist
