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21.6.2018
MORE CONNECTIVITY – INCREASED PROSPERITY

MORE CONNECTIVITY – INCREASED PROSPERITY

In a new report on airport connectivity, published by the ACI (Airports Council International), Keflavík Airport is named among the airports with the most increase in connectivity since 2008. The ACI report is published in conjunction with the Council’s annual conference, which began today.

The report is based on statistics and analysis from SEO Amsterdam Economics in the Netherlands. The extent and quality of the connections were assessed on the basis of three metrics:

  • Direct Connectivity: The number of direct services available from the airport.
  • Indirect Connectivity: This measures the number of places people can fly to, through connecting flights.
  • Hub Connectivity: This is the key metric for any hub airport, measuring the number of connecting flights that can be facilitated by the hub airport in question. Connecting times are specifically assessed.

According to the ACI report, Keflavík Airport is now a significant player when it comes to transatlantic hub connectivity and has the potential for being a centre for intercontinental flight.

The ACI categorises airports by size, and Keflavík Airport is grouped with airports with 5–10 million passengers on an annual basis. In the last five years, direct connections have increased by 132.1%, so Keflavík Airport is at the top of this category. In the last decade, the increase has been close to 270%, and Keflavík Airport is also at the top of its category in this respect.

The ACI report also states that Keflavík Airport’s connectivity as a hub has increased by 1541% since 2008.

In the last few years, Isavia has worked systematically at strengthening Keflavík Airport as a hub in collaboration with the airlines using the airport. There are currently 101 destinations from Keflavík Airport, of which 46 are year-round destinations. Five years ago, there were 54 destinations, of which 18 were year-round destinations. This summer, 28 airlines fly to and from Keflavík Airport, of which 12 fly year-round. There were three year-round airlines in 2010.

Domestic and foreign analyses have shown that hub airports have a highly positive effect on society, increasing companies’ chances to export products to new overseas markets and giving the general public a wider choice of destinations. InterVISTAS Consulting Group’s report for ACI Europe revealed that increasing flight connections has a positive effect on GDP. According to the report, a 10% increase in flight connections will result in a 0.5% increase in GDP.

“I want to thank the Keflavík Airport staff and Isavia employees for their excellent work under demanding circumstances in the past few years”, says Björn Óli Hauksson, Managing Director of Isavia. “The work undertaken has resulted in increased connectivity and opened new gateways to the world for companies and the general public in Iceland. Keflavík Airport must continue to grow so still more opportunities for connectivity can be utilised in the coming years.”