The health crisis continues to have serious consequences for the airline industry in France. Orly airport, on the outskirts of Paris, announced on Tuesday (16) that it would close another terminal due to the huge drop in passenger numbers.
The air transport sector is one of the most affected in the world by the crisis generated by the Covid-19 pandemic, due to traffic restrictions. In France, the situation is no different.
With the closure of French borders to countries outside the European Union and the drastic drop in the number of air trips, the second French airport has had no choice but to restrict its activities. The closure of Terminal 4 at Orly airport will begin on Monday (22) indefinitely.
According to the management of the airport, which mainly receives domestic and European flights, the airlines that operated on the site will be relocated to the two terminals which are still partially open, 2 and 3. A spokesperson for Orly airport indicated that, given the health situation, no provision is made for the return to normal activities.
Terminal 4 had already been blocked between November and December, during the second general lockout in France. Terminal 1 has been completely closed since November 11.
Paris made the decision because of its deep concern about the rapid spread of variants of the coronavirus.
decrease in airport traffic
Charles de Gaulle airport, the largest in the country, only received 1.2 million passengers in 2020, 78.3% less than in 2019. Orly already welcomed 900,000 travelers last year, i.e. a decrease of 62.1% compared to 2019.
The forecast for 2021 is not optimistic. The ADP group, which manages Paris airports, forecasts a drop of between 45% and 55% in air traffic this year.