Fukuoka Airport records second year of net losses; privatisation under spotlight

Both large and small airports have been privatised by way of concession in Japan since the process got under way six years ago. Fukuoka Airport, in the far western part of Japan, is rarely mentioned, but it was the country's fourth busiest airport before the coronavirus pandemic.

The consortium that took on the concession there in 2019 has just announced a second year of financial losses (net loss).

It is easy to blame the pandemic, and indeed the result would probably not have been any different if the airport had remained entirely in municipal hands.

On the other hand, the airport has not gone as far as was hoped in satisfying some of the Ministry's demands - such as growing the low cost segment - and once the pandemic has subsided in Japan the likelihood is that at the very least Fukuoka airport will be expected to rise very quickly to that challenge.