“It’s a record, we have never reached such traffic,” assures Thomas Juin, director of La Rochelle-Île de Ré airport.
In 2023, 246,867 passengers were transported via this airport platform.
The last record was in 2018 with 240,154 passengers.
The health crisis linked to Covid seems far away now – 32,200 passengers transported in 2020. And this new growth is expected to continue in 2024.
According to Thomas Juin, the bar of 250,000 passengers will even be largely exceeded thanks to the opening of a new line to Marrakech (operated by Ryanair) and the growing success of the connection to Marseille.
Inaugurated in spring 2022, it is now on par with the London-Stansted line (41,700 passengers).
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“There is a compelling need to offer lines from La Rochelle.
People are rushing towards the plane,” underlines Thomas Juin.
If the British market remains the first in volume (30% of passengers transported), the three domestic lines (Lyon, Nice and Marseille) represent 29% of traffic – almost 70,000 passengers.
Driven by rapid growth, La Rochelle airport must nevertheless come to terms with ambitious objectives for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
This in fact promises to achieve carbon neutrality in 2040 “for the emissions it generates”.
This horizon corresponds neither more nor less to the objectives of the agglomeration through its “La Rochelle zero carbon territory” project.
“It won’t be greenwashing”
To achieve this, Thomas Juin is betting on the widespread use of biofuels and the rapid deployment of electric and hydrogen aircraft.
The director also confirms that this carbon neutrality will take into account the impact of aircraft during the climb and approach phases.
“It won’t be greenwashing,” he insists.
In 2024, the airport must develop, in conjunction with the La Rochelle metropolitan area, “a methodology” aimed at assessing GHG emissions from regular flights.
This work will make it possible to better situate the efforts to be made in relation to other sectors of activity in the living area.
“We want the comparisons to be fair and equitable,” anticipates Thomas Juin, who does not intend to bear the weight of GHGs emitted elsewhere.
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While waiting to know this data, La Rochelle-Île de Ré airport is highlighting the subscription of a renewable electricity contract, the purchase of an electric maintenance vehicle or even the use of LEDs for 'lighting.
These adjustments would have already made it possible to reduce the carbon emissions of this platform by 40%.
“This roadmap allows us to be among the players contributing to the sustainable development of the urban area,” believes Thomas Juin.
In the 1990s and until the launch of lines likely to compensate for the arrival of the TGV in La Rochelle, this airport transported less than 40,000 passengers per year.