Air traffic has decreased drastically during the corona pandemic and to help the industry, the government and its partner parties, the Liberals and the Center Party, have agreed on a proposal for a support package of one billion kronor. The Civil Aviation Administration will receive 900 million and regional airports 100 million, reports 

For the regional airports, the temporary support of SEK 100 million represents a doubling compared to the usual annual support.

”"Now that revenue from aviation has completely collapsed and basically disappeared completely, the choice in these municipalities has been to close down a nursing home or keep the regional airport. Now they don't have to make that decision," says Anders W Jonsson, the Center Party's acting party leader, to Ekot.

One airport affected is Trollhättan Vänersborg Airport, which is operated in collaboration between four municipalities and the Västra Götaland Region. Normally, several flights a day go to Bromma Airport, but those flights have completely stopped since the pandemic, and with them a large part of the revenue.

”"It's clear that it's welcome, of course. It's tough right now, we have no commercial traffic at all at the moment, so the economy is strained," says Paul Åkerlund (S), chairman of the municipal board in Trollhättan and chairman of the airport board, to TT.

The government will present the proposals in an additional amending budget and the subsidies will be paid out as soon as there is a parliamentary decision on the matter.

The Swedish Transport Administration is tasked with paying out the increased operating support to the municipalities, which then pass it on to their airports.

Source: TT-Ekot.