Boom in airport usage means Okęcie is losing ground

In Q1 2006, the number of passengers at Polish airports totaled 2.7 million which is 34% more than in the same period in 2005 and 83% more than in Q1 2004. Warsaw Okęcie is still the market leader but it is losing its position. In Q1 2005, Okęcie was used by 68% of all passengers traveling through Poland and in Q1 this year the figure dropped to 56%. Regional airports such as Kraków or Wrocław are becoming increasingly important due to the dynamic development of budget airlines. "In 2030, the number of passengers passing through Polish airports may exceed 63 million," forecasts Adam Borkowski, the spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Office. However, he underlined that such a high level cannot be maintained without investment in the airport infrastructure. (Puls Biznesu, pp. 1, 8) E.B.