SPAIN’S airport operator Aena recorded an annual net profit in 2022 for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020.
The firm that manages 46 airports in the country also said on Tuesday that it expected passenger numbers to return to normal this year, after January figures showed increases on 2019 pre-pandemic levels.
The company posted a net 2022 profit of €901.5 million in 2022 in contrast to a €475.4 million in the previous year.
It is proposing an 80% dividend payment to shareholders based on the results of the 2022 financial year.
While some European airports were affected by staff shortages as tourism rebounded last year, Aena’s terminals have run smoothly- something it put down to keeping its staff during and after the pandemic.
For 2022 as a whole, Spanish airport traffic reached 88.5% of 2019 levels and was over double that of 2021.
Aena has now lifted its estimate for 2023 to 99% of 2019 numbers, but does not rule out going even higher and surpassing what was a record year.
It had previously said it expected a full recovery of air traffic by 2024.
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