- ACI Europe held its 36th Congress in Prague on 23rd June
- Airports recorded €11.8 billion net profit in 2025.
- Revenues reached €63.8 billion with 10.8pc growth.
- Capital expenditure needs total €360 billion over decades.
- Only six in ten airports recovered pre-pandemic volumes
ACI Europe has warned of a Great Decoupling at its 36th Annual Congress and General Assembly that took place in Prague on 23rd June 2026.
Director General Olivier Jankovec addressed rising costs, competitive pressures and investment needs at European airports. Passenger traffic shows resilience but financial sustainability faces challenges.
- Only around six in ten airports recovered 2019 passenger volumes. Europe’s airports achieved a net profit of €11.8bn in 2025 with revenues of €63.8bn. Non-aeronautical revenues grew 14.1pc while costs rose 9.2pc.
- The congress was told that the industry requires €360bn in capital expenditure over coming decades for modernisation, digitalisation and decarbonisation. Traffic growth alone no longer guarantees financial viability.
- Stefan Schulte, President of ACI EUROPE and CEO of Fraport AG, issued a stark warning regarding the upcoming Schengen Entry-Exit System (EES). Leaders noted that Europe’s airports urgently require full operational flexibility. They requested that border control authorities be allowed to suspend EES protocols when needed to prevent massive terminal bottlenecks and passenger chaos.
- Director General Olivier Jankovec declared that Europe’s airports are grappling with a new reality where the traditional growth-driven commercial model is no longer reliable. With passenger traffic turning net-negative for the first time since the pandemic recovery, airports face unprecedented operational pressures. These stem from a mix of regulatory restrictions, climate policy limits, and localized community opposition (NIMBYism).
- With the European Commission planning to release a updated Aviation Strategy later this year, ACI leadership called on EU Director General Magda Kopczyńska to shift priorities. While continuing to address climate and noise impacts, leaders argued that EU policy must re-prioritize the strategic economic value of air connectivity to protect European cohesion, job creation, and global competitiveness.
- Five key regulatory adjustments were demanded:
- A call to modernise the 30-year-old EU Slot Regulation to preserve airport capacity.
- Charges Directive: Freeze any revisions to the EU Airport Charges Directive to protect stable infrastructure investment environments.
- Delegates called for state aid flexibility amend draft State aid rules to safeguard vulnerable regional air networks.
- Airport speakers sought to secure continued EU financial frameworks to support SESAR ATM research and deployment.
- There was a call for Earmark Emissions Trading System (ETS) revenues to fund airport energy grids and avoid extending ETS rules to all departing international flights.
- The assembly ratified an official ACI EUROPE Resolution confirming that decarbonization remains an absolute mandate for European operators. Airports are demanding advanced “Book & Claim” frameworks for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and complete integration into national green energy planning grids to ensure competitive decarbonization
- Industry partners like Zühlke showcased live digital innovations, highlighting a transition toward heavily data-driven airport operations. Panel discussions emphasized that over 90% of the airport ecosystem now operates digitally, moving tech management from an IT support role to a fundamental requirement for infrastructure resilience via AI governance and optimized Airport Operations Plans (AOP).
Olivier Jankovec shared “Europe’s airports are discovering that recovery is not the same as resilience. The industry is moving from a world based on growth-financed connectivity to one where connectivity must finance transformation.”
Zuzana Mrázová shared “The Czech Republic is delighted to welcome Europe’s airport community to Prague. Air connectivity remains a vital driver of tourism, trade and economic development.”
