Cardiff Airport dead without bailout, boss says

Cardiff Airport dead without bailout, boss says

Cardiff Airport would not have stayed alive without an £85m bailout from the Welsh government during Covid, its boss says.

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Chief executive Spencer Birns said despite a slow recovery, it could "provide the economic value back to Wales".

But the Welsh Conservatives said the Welsh government should sell it.

The Welsh government said it was committed to the airport because of the benefits it brings the Welsh economy.

Mr Birns said the the bailout had "given us the framework to stay alive".

"They've helped us get into position that we can help re-grow the business, that can provide the economic value back to Wales," he said.

The Welsh government wrote off £42.6m of airport debt in March this year and also gave it a five year recovery grant of £42.6m.

The airport's passenger numbers were down by 90% in August 2021, making it the second-lowest number in the UK.

Its value has also dropped by more than two thirds.

Mr Birns said that recovery had been slow "primarily because people have been encouraged not to travel overseas this year".

Fifteen destinations are currently up and running, but prior to the pandemic there were 52.

Next year, airlines TUI and Wizz air will start running out of Cardiff.