Situation
For Trafikkontaktrådet (The Traffic Contact Council), it is important that Bornholm has both an air link and a ferry connection. This analysis was conducted against a backdrop of domestic air routes across Denmark facing disruption, with some routes being scaled back or discontinued. According to ACI Europe (Airports Council International), the same trend can be seen in other European countries, where domestic air traffic has yet to return to pre-coronavirus levels (down 5.9 per cent). This also applies to the route between Bornholm Airport and Copenhagen Airport: flight frequency has fallen, the share of passengers has declined, and fares have risen in recent years.
Complication
The operating costs associated with running a Danish domestic air route are expected to rise in the coming years because of new aviation regulations. We expect that a significant proportion of these additional costs will be passed on to passengers through higher fares, affecting both Bornholm Airport and Copenhagen Airport. Bornholm Airport is financed through an agreement linked to the green tax reform, which provides an additional DKK 18.7 million on top of the basic grant of DKK 24 million. The DKK 18.7 million is earmarked for the airport’s operation and maintenance.
Recommendation
The analysis shows that the route plays a vital role for several parts of Bornholm’s island community. To maintain an attractive air service, the scope for introducing a public service obligation scheme or social discounts for selected groups, such as students or pensioners, could be explored. Under the former option, the state or another public authority would tender for the route and co-finance it, as is currently the case with the ferry service. To inform such a discussion, the analysis sets out three scenarios for how the state could support the air service by reallocating some of the funds currently used to subsidise the ferry service.