2020, 2021 – results and expectation
29 January 2021
2020 became the world-scale challenge for the civil aviation. There never has been such severe and long-term crisis through all the history of the industry. Almost complete suspension of flights for two months, locked borders of many countries, difficult process of the international coordination of epidemic-prevention measures, closure of route network and even bankruptcy of air carriers, entirely new service approaches, and this is hardly the full list of challenges the airports had to deal with during the previous year. Boryspil included. It was a challenging year. Yet we weathered, preserved the full operational capability of our airport and learned a lot. We received the kind of experience we couldn’t even imagine a year ago.
Therefore, today we will sum up the results of 2020, things we were able to implement, the way the operation goes at the moment and what we expect from 2021.
Passenger – in the spotlight
Previous year imposed upon us absolutely unusual measures. Physical distance, PCR test, temperature screening, mask regime, became not only a new notion but a daily working routine. Perhaps more than others, the personnel of aviation industry understand how hard it was for the passengers to adjust to these new, quite extraordinary and strict rules. Therefore, in joint cooperation with air carriers and handling companies we did our best to simplify the passenger pre- and after flight formalities to the greatest extent possible, considering the pandemic. Below is the list of main technological solutions implemented at Boryspil during the previous year:
PCR testing under the terminal roof. Jointly with the medical laboratories, the airport implemented a completely new service. On the 2-nd floor of the Terminal, there was arranged a specially equipped facility for biological material sampling. As of today, the passengers are free to choose one of the five laboratories to make a test upon arrival to Ukraine or departing abroad. The price of testing varies between UAH 890 – 1400. In case some country demands the original of the test to cross the border, any passenger can receive the document directly before their departure. For many passengers testing at the Airport was the most comfortable solution. Beginning from September and till December 2020 more than 23 thousand passengers made their test here.
Moreover, as of today there is also available rapid/express testing for detection of antigen SARS-CoV-2, which takes up to 20 minutes, price of the service is defined individually by the laboratory, between UAH 700 – 800.
Documents self-verification reduces the risks. Time was, that in order to verify the identity, passengers had to hand over their passports and boarding passes to the Airport representatives before heading to the aviation security check. We made this procedure more hygienic. Nowadays, passengers pass the verification by themselves putting the boarding pass to the reader and showing the passport to the operator who gets all the information on the screen. Thus, we reduce the contact with passengers documents.
Ukrainian application «Дія» simplifies border control check. Such an extraordinary situation worldwide boosts the implementation of new contactless technologies. So, Boryspil keeps up the pace. Since 2020, Boryspil Airport domestic flights passengers can use the digital versions of Ukrainian passports or biometrical foreign passports to verify via application «Дія».
Comfortable drop off/ pick up areas for cars. 3rd and 4th floors of the multilevel parking at Terminal D are equipped with comfortable areas for parking of on call vehicles. We made direction signs user friendly to be your guide. As it became colder, such areas became quite reasonable as passengers can get from parking to the Terminal D without going outside.
Electric cars: plug in at the covered parking. On the 2nd floor of multilevel parking already operates the first electric car charging stands. E-cars owners can now charge their vehicle after installing the application and paying via bank card.
We keep working and look forward to presenting you more comfortable solutions for your convenience.
Ecology concerns
In 2020, a new company started its operation at the Airport providing daily service for de-\antiicing liquid wastes collection. It is a special agent applied to the planes under cold weather conditions before the departure. Although, there are strict requirements regulating the environmental safety regarding the de-\antiicing agents, soaking though the soils and water sources is unadvisable. Moreover, collection of the agents gel wastes is an important safety issue as it improves the adherence of aircraft landing gears and ground handling equipment with the airside surface. Company collects and transports the agent waste out of the airport premises by its own means and has a capability to reprocess it.
In addition, last year we installed waste sorting trash containers at Terminal D.
2020 by the numbers
Passenger flow. Boryspil Airport 2019 results were optimistic and providing for great development plans. Indices proved the record growth of the passenger throughput. More than 15 million passengers were handled during 2019. Boryspil was heading the European ratings in growth rates. Back then, we couldn’t even imagine how radically the situation will change and what does the future holds for us. Crisis in the industry caused by the pandemic resulted in the historical decile of the passenger flows. So, during April-May the passenger throughput has almost stopped short. There were only special flights returning home Ukrainian citizens. Among other things, if during the April 2019, 8660 flights were handled at the airport, in April 2020 there were only 490, which is only 5,6% respectively.
Since the global scale lockdown was elevated in June-July 2020, airlines were trying to actively recommence air connection. 75% of carriers returned to the Airport. Unfortunately, the number of flights was dramatically less than usual.
Strict requirements for border crossing to the most popular among our citizens countries (such as EU countries, Israel, etc.), forced the air carriers to either give up on some routes completely or drastically decrease flights frequencies. To some extent we were “saved” by traditional Ukrainian charter destinations in particular Turkey and Egypt. These countries were one of the first to open the borders without special restrictions for Ukrainians. However, Turkey season year after year drops in October. Therefore, the major part of the Turkey season was lost due to the lockdown. The greatest volume of winter season charter flights belongs to Egypt. Restoration of transportation to Egypt was really vivid. Less than during a month, the carriers were close to reach the results of 2019. Nevertheless, the second (September) lockdown in Ukraine and introduction by the Egyptian Government of PCR testing extensively restrained flights reinstatement. As a result, general volume of transportation to Turkey and Egypt in 2020 reched only 44% comparing with 2019. Recommencement on other destinations had even slower pace.
In view of this, during the whole 2020 (including quite resultative pre-crisis January, February and partially March), the Airport handled only 5,16 million passengers, equaling to 34% in comparison with the results of 2019. That aside, the transfer passenger flow had almost completely vanished, as it amounted only 14% comparing with 2019. Merely 47 thousand flights were performed, which is 42% of the previous year result.
Currently, following carriers operate at the Airport: Windrose, UIA, Sky Up, Azur Air Ukraine, Belavia, KLM, Lufthansa, Ryanair, SWISS, Czech Airlines, Turkish Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Flydubai, Air France, Austrian Airlines, SAS, Air Astana, Air Arabia, El Al, Air Baltic, Qatar Airways.
More than 70% of Boryspil Airport passenger flow during 2020 was provided by the Ukrainian carriers in particular.
Cargo transportation. On the background of reduction of passenger flights, last year we noticed the increase in cargo operations. During 2020, the Airport handled 1653 cargo flights, while in 2019 there were 1095. While passenger flights were canceled, some carriers provided cargo transportation via ordinary passenger aircrafts, dismounting seats from some part of their fleet.
A major increase of cargo flights helped us to preserve the essential part of volumes of cargo and mail handled at Boryspil. Yet, the decrease was registered in this sphere as well. Despite the quarantine mostly didn’t affect cargo and mail, the most of it should have been transported to\from Boryspil via passenger flights. These are flights that were mostly suspended. Therefore, the volume of cargo and mail transported decreased by 18% in 2020.
2021: Expectations
When the pandemic had just begun, almost all relevant associations worldwide such as ІАТА, ІСАО, АСІ, Eurocontrol and air carriers in particular expected quite rapid recommencement. As time passed it became clear that the reality is even worse than the most pessimistic expectations.
Latest forecasts of world leading experts indicate the catastrophic influence of pandemic on the worldwide air transportation industry. Even considering the large scale state support provided by a lot of countries to their carriers and airports, the rejuvenation of indices to the level of 2019 is considered possible not earlier than in 2024.
In October 2020, ACI Europe published a forecast of two scenarios of European passenger flow development during 2021: pessimistic equaling to 36% of 2019 results and moderate equaling to 57%. Unluckily, we notice that the situation escalates in accordance with the pessimistic scenario. So, on 20 January 2021 Aci published a renewed worsened forecast. According to the latter, the volume of passenger transportation in Europe during 2021 will reach 36-44% of 2019 results. Not reassuring numbers.
Sure, the actual result may be either better or worse. It depends on many factors. So, perhaps the most important above them all, will be the practical wide proof of vaccines efficiency and/or the detection of community immunity. According to the experts, this would allow either completely overcome the virus or decrease the spread to the controlled level of a simple and studied seasonal illness.
An while in accordance with the WHO data the number of infected during the previous week decreased by 6% worldwide and even by 15% in Europe, the situation is still strained. European countries prolong the quarantine measures. Thus, we cannot state the exact date of “elevating the limitations”.
We constantly monitor the global tendencies and trace the expectations of the domestic carriers. Our calculations give us a glance of hope that the passenger flow in 2021 will reach up to 40-50% of 2018. Yet, depending on the development of situation, our forecast as well might need revising.
The recommencement of cargo transportation is closely related to coming around to the regular schedule for passenger flights, as their holds usually transport the major part of cargo.
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We have faith that everything will work out all right. Eventually, the borders will open and the flights will recover. So, let the travel take off and land at KBP.