An aircraft of the company Transavia, which has planned to set up a base in Montpellier - SEBASTIEN SALOM-GOMIS / SIPA

  • Before the start of confinement, Montpellier airport had started its metamorphosis, launched works and multiplied the destinations.
  • A Transavia base was to be set up on the airport platform.
  • The epidemic does not, however, call into question the ambitions of the airport.

The airline industry, which had been shutdown for almost two months, paid a heavy price for the Covid-19 epidemic. In Montpellier (Hérault), the airport was no exception. “It was more complicated every day, we had no resources since the start of confinement, says Emmanuel Brehmer, president of Montpellier-Méditerranée airport. No aeronautical resources, but also shops, car rental companies, parking lots, everything stopped. We had no cash flow. "

Traffic only resumed on May 11, with only two weekly rotations to Charles-de-Gaulle. In Fréjorgues, employment was not affected, however, and the additional remuneration for staff placed on partial unemployment was maintained. But we had to rework the budget and solicit the banks.

The 2.5 million passenger mark in 2025 is maintained

"We have set up a rectified budget which will be presented on June 18 to the supervisory board and which will allow the company to pass this test, without having recourse to any public subsidy or external support", notes Emmanuel Brehmer.

The concern was however strong when the epidemic broke out: for many months, the platform had multiplied the destinations and had started work to expand. With one objective: to surpass the milestone of 2.5 million passengers by 2025. The ambition has not changed. "This test will have been a brake, in no case a questioning of our development potential", confides Emmanuel Brehmer.

The Transavia base is not in question

Fate, in March while France confined itself, Transavia was ready to set up a new base at Montpellier airport, with many destinations at stake. "It was the result of several years of work, and it should be the big step we expected for the airport," said the site manager. This arrival is however not questioned. The inauguration of the base is simply "postponed", indicates the low cost company at 20 Minutes . No doubt in April 2021, but the company does not confirm. "We are reassured," notes Emmanuel Brehmer.

Transavia will also ensure its first destinations from Montpellier: Palermo and Faro on June 26, Athens on June 27, Seville and Lisbon on June 28. The other companies (Chalair, Volotea, Air France and Luxair) will also resume service: Bordeaux on 15, Nantes on 17, Ajaccio on 20, Orly on 26 and Bastia and Luxembourg on 27. In July, London, Brest, Lille, Dublin, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and the very popular Ibiza will be added. Still, it is now necessary that users follow the movement.

We are delighted to find you! ❤️✈️ The flight schedule for June 2020 is available right here https://t.co/p9HZn7Yv1S # Aéroport #Montpellier # Aérien #Transport #Voyage #Montpelliernow pic.twitter.com/RjFBTi2qit

- Montpellier Airport (@MPLaeroport) June 4, 2020

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  • Languedoc-Roussillon
  • Covid 19
  • Deconfinement
  • Confinement
  • Airport
  • Plane
  • Aeronautics
  • Montpellier