Western Mail Airport must break even at very least

IT’S been more than a decade since the Welsh Government acquired Cardiff Airport from Abertis for £52m.

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The rationale given by Carwyn Jones’ then administration was that its Spanish owners were planning to close the Rhoose-based airport, and the only deal they were willing to consider was with the Welsh Government.

However, did they envisage the losses? Passenger numbers show no sign of returning to pre-pandemic levels of 1.6 million a year. It is currently below one million. including the acquisition cost and subsequent financial support, Cardiff Airport has received around £200m of taxpayer support.

At the time of the acquisition, there were optimistic forecasts of passenger numbers exceeding two million a year and calls for a new terminal building.