Swedavia’s Annual and Sustainability Report 2023: Continued recovery strengthens confidence in the future

As of 20 March, Swedavia's Annual and Sustainability Report for 2023 will be available on the company's website. In 2023, the recovery from the low traffic volumes of previous years continued, with new airlines coming and old ones returning to the company’s airports, with most routes and destinations restored. During the year, Swedavia continued to take new steps in the transition to fossil-free aviation, and in December, Göteborg Landvetter Airport and Malmö Airport received the highest level of certification according to the Airport Carbon Accreditation - the international industry standard for climate transition work at the world’s airports - making Swedavia one of only five airport operators in the world to be certified at this level.

Long distances should never be an obstacle that prevents people from meeting. Aviation connects people, brings friends and family together, and enables ideas and experiences to be shared and new insights to be gained from all corners of the world. In doing so, aviation helps to increase the understanding of people from other cultures and religions like no other mode of transport, and it is no exaggeration to say that through this aviation improves the conditions for achieving an existence free from war and unrest. Air travel is simply a necessity for people to meet, and as we look at the numbers for 2023, we can see that this need remains strong," writes Swedavia's president and CEO, Jonas Abrahamsson, in his CEO statement.

Over the past year, Swedavia has continued to take important steps to accelerate the climate transition work in the aviation industry, and the latest brand survey shows that more and more people associate Swedavia with sustainability. In December 2023, Swedavia became one of five airport operators in the world to be certified at the fifth and currently highest level, which was achieved by Swedavia’s second and third largest airports, Göteborg Landvetter Airport and Malmö Airport. Level five certification includes requirements for a net-zero balance on carbon dioxide emissions. Seven of the company's ten airports are certified in the second highest classification (ACA4+) according to the Airport Carbon Accreditation – the international industry standard for climate transition work at the world’s airports.

“In 2023 and 2024, we have continued to work with our customers and partners towards achieving fossil-free aviation. This year will be the fifth year in a row that we are implementing our incentive programme to increase the use of sustainable aviation fuel. Through this programme, Swedavia reimburses up to half of the cost of refuelling with sustainable aviation fuel. Like 2023, this year’s programme will be run with a pot of SEK 40 M, which is double the amount compared to 2022. Since its launch in 2020, the programme has provided a total investment of SEK 100 M”, says Abrahamsson.

Arlanda is the hub of Sweden’s national basic infrastructure of airports and it plays a key role in connecting Sweden’s regions together and also in connecting Sweden with the rest of the world.

"Over the past year, Swedavia has successfully rolled out a new state-of-the-art security control at Arlanda, the hub of Sweden's national basic infrastructure. This investment has certainly paid off. In December, the average waiting time to pass through the security control was two minutes. This has helped to significantly improve the passenger experience and is an important step in the continued development of Arlanda. Much more is needed, however, in order to improve the airport’s competitiveness. It is in the national interest that the competitiveness and continued development of the airport are ensured. Swedavia, other social actors and Sweden as a country need to take action together”, says Abrahamsson.

Significant events in 2023:

• More than 32 million people flew from one of Swedavia’s ten airports during the past year. This represents an increase of 17 percent compared to 2022. Although air cargo only accounts for one per cent of global transport volume, it accounts for 35 per cent of the value of such goods in a normal year.
• During the summer, Stockholm Arlanda Airport's new, more efficient and faster security control was introduced at Terminal 5. Investments. The EU-certified equipment means, among other things, that passengers can keep liquids and electronics in their hand luggage as they pass through the security control.
• The 11,000 square metre Marketplace, offering a range of around 50 restaurant and shopping concepts, was inaugurated in October and is the largest commercial investment ever at Sweden's largest airport, Stockholm Arlanda Airport. The stores are exposed to around 60,000–100,000 passengers per day, or 23 million passengers per year.
• In 2024, we will continue to work with our customers and partners towards achieving fossil-free aviation. This year will be the fifth year in a row that we are implementing our incentive programme to increase the use of sustainable aviation fuel. Through this programme, Swedavia reimburses up to half of the cost of refuelling with sustainable aviation fuel. Like last year, this year’s programme will be run with a pot of SEK 40 M, which is double the amount for 2022. Since its launch in 2020, the programme has provided a total investment of SEK 100 M.
• Fossil-free aviation also requires technological innovation. During the past year, Swedavia has intensified its work to prepare the company’s ten airports for, and promote the development of, electric and hydrogen-powered aviation. We entered into cooperation with Heart Aerospace during the year with the aim of demonstrating the turnaround and taxiing process of a full-scale mockup of the ES30 aircraft at Malmö Airport.
• Swedavia has also now formed a partnership with Airbus, Vattenfall and SAS, among others, to more deeply analyse and understand what is required to create the conditions for the use of hydrogen in aviation at our Swedish airports. Collaborations like these between industry operators from all links in the value chain are also vital for the climate transition of aviation.
• In November, a hybrid bond was issued in the amount of SEK 2 billion. There was a very high level of interest from the capital market, mainly from institutional investors but also from Nordic investors, and this, combined with significant oversubscription, is proof of Swedavia’s strong position among investors in the Nordic region.
  
  

Swedavia's Annual and Sustainability Report is available to read and download in its entirety on the company's website: Financial information | About Swedavia.

The English version of the Annual and Sustainability Report is available on Swedavia's website.

The report is a combined annual and sustainability report in accordance with accepted regulations and standards.

The Sustainability Report is conducted in accordance with Global Reporting Initiative Standards.

Swedavia AB is required to disclose the information in this Interim Report under the Securities Markets Act. The information was submitted for publication on 20 March 2024 at 3:15 PM CEST.

For further information, please contact Swedavia’s press service at +46 (0) 109 01 00 or press@swedavia.se