Brnik - Passenger traffic at the Ljubljana airport continues to pick up as the airport handled a total of 198,079 passengers in the first four months of the year, or seven times more than in the same period last year. The volume of cargo traffic was up by 16% to 10,493 tonnes.

"The significant recovery in traffic has been driven by the relaxation of entry restrictions in European countries and around the world and the ensuing higher demand for flights," Fraport Slovenija, the operator of Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport said on Thursday.

Passenger traffic in the first four months of the year represents 40% of the traffic in the same period in the pre-Covid year 2019, the company said, noting that the rate of recovery was in line with its projections from the end of 2021.

This is despite the loss of passengers on the planned connections with Russia and Ukraine, Fraport Slovenija said, adding that the recovery was comparable to the recovery of international traffic elsewhere in Europe.

In April alone, the number of passengers was up almost eight-fold compared to the same month last year to 70,124, partially due to a "strong start of the charter season".

According to the current projections, around 880,000 passengers will travel through the Ljubljana airport this year, which is 104% more than in 2021, but only 49% of the figure from 2019.

"Passenger traffic at the Ljubljana airport has recorded healthy growth," said Fraport Slovenija managing director Babett Stapel, adding that last year's traffic was expected to double this year due as summer months were expected to be busy.

Cargo traffic has been improving as well, with record numbers being recorded in recent months. The monthly record of 2,826 from October 2017 was exceeded in March (2,872 tonnes) and further improved in April (3,035 tonnes).

In the first four months of the year, cargo traffic was up by 16% to 10,493 tonnes.

"The new growth dimensions recently recorded at the Ljubljana airport, which are fuelled by global trade in goods, are inspiring," Stapel said, adding that further growth was expected with the planned modernisation and expansion of warehouses.