Despite recent disruptions, Luxembourg Airport CEO Alexander Flassak has highlighted the airport's achievements and its recognition as one of Europe's 'least stressful' airports in a recent interview with our colleagues from RTL Radio.

In an interview with RTL Radio on Tuesday morning, Alexander Flassak, CEO of Lux-Airport, acknowledged that the airport would rather have done without recent disruptions, including a malfunctioning metal detector and a runway issue, but emphasised the airport's "swift and transparent" response to these incidents.

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95% of passengers through security in under 15 minutes

Flassak reported a successful year for Lux-Airport, noting that Findel handled over 5 million passengers for the first time. While some complain about long waiting times, Flassak pointed out that Lux-Airport was recognised as one of Europe's "least stressful" airports in 2023, ranking second. The CEO highlighted that 75% of passengers passed through security in under 5 minutes, and 95% in less than 15 minutes, which he described as "extremely good" on an international scale. He acknowledged that there is always room for improvement.

Expanding infrastructure to meet growing demand

The busiest month of 2024 was May, driven by holidays and long weekends, with July and August each seeing over 500,000 passengers. Lux-Airport has experienced significant growth in both passenger numbers and cargo operations in recent years. To accommodate this growth, the airport's infrastructure is being gradually expanded and modernised, including a complete overhaul of the baggage transport system during the pandemic. Flassak assured that there is adequate staff to manage operations, though the airport faces limitations due to its geographical location and single runway.

With a single runway, Findel Airport currently manages 5 million passengers annually. In comparison, London Stansted handles 28 million passengers and London Gatwick over 40 million with a single runway. As such, Flassak noted that there is still room for growth.

Upcoming construction projects

The expansion of Luxembourg Airport's terminal is set to begin soon. In 2024, the focus will be on expanding the sanitary areas. The following year, with the opening of the Skypark Business Centre–the new building adjacent to the current terminal offering 10,000 square metres of commercial space–many activities will be relocated there. This move will free up space within the terminal for passenger use. Looking ahead, the airport will also require a new fuel depot and a new control tower, according to CEO Alexander Flassak.

Additionally, parking facilities will be expanded. In 2024, 800 new parking spaces were added, and these were nearly fully occupied this year. Starting in 2025, the tram service will also extend to Findel Airport, a development which Lux-Airport is "really looking forward to."