‘It is still before the qualifying draw, so we don’t know who will play in Poland and we don’t know from which directions people will fly in’ Tadeusz Jarmuziewicz, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Infrastructure, says ‘So how to determine whether we are ready? UEFA bases its expectations on stadium capacity. They assume 50% of the spectators will travel by air. Another assumption is that most of them will do so within 10 hours before and after the game. This would mean that we should account for 20,000 people. Coincidentally, that is almost the capacity of Warsaw airport today’. Even though this may sound optimistic, there is no guarantee that Polish planes, airports and carriers will be fully ready in 2012 as the aviation industry is facing a crisis caused by the fuel prices.
Okęcie airport in Warsaw is the largest in Poland. It has a 40% share in the aviation market. Its optimum capacity is 36 landings and takeoffs and 5,000 passengers per hour. ‘July was a record month for Warsaw airport. We checked in 50,000 passengers in 24 hours. According to the estimations for Euro 2012, Warsaw airport will be required to check in 24,000 passengers within 10 hours. It may be tight but it is definitely doable’ says Michał Marzec, president of the ‘Polish Airports’ State Enterprise and president of the Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport.
Polish aviation industry representatives seem to agree that the organization of Euro 2012 poses a certain challenge for the branch but it is a welcome challenge, one which will positively stimulate the industry and boost its development rather than create excessive pressure. ‘The Polish Air Navigation Services Agency and Warsaw Airport have prepared a report determining the challenges ahead of us. In my opinion Euro 2012 will be a catalyst for the processes that are happening anyway, because aviation is developing and investments are made on regular basis. Euro 2012 will be a milestone on a path we have been on for years’ says Krzysztof Banaszek of PANSA.