2010: Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur experienced exceptional disruptions: volcano, strike, weather, resulting in a traffic decline of -2.3%, despite a very strong recovery in the last quarter.
Passenger Traffic
Nice Côte d’Azur ends the year 2010 with a traffic decrease of -2.3% compared to 2009, approximately 9,600,000 passengers. International traffic, which accounts for 60% of the total, experienced a smaller decline (-2%) than domestic traffic (-2.8%).
A very positive sign is that this quantitative decline did not affect the quality of service in 2010, with the same number of airlines (55) and a record number of destinations (103).
Two significant points to highlight: the Nice-Dubai flight by Emirates became daily at the beginning of January 2010 (+51% passengers in 2010) and the arrival of Qatar Airways at the end of November with 3 weekly flights to Doha, underscoring the growing importance of traffic to the Middle East and Asia.
Independent of the traffic losses related to the Icelandic volcano (150,000 passengers), strikes (142,000 passengers), and weather (38,000 passengers) that accounted for 3.2% of traffic (compared to a total loss of 50,000 passengers in 2009), the marked recovery in Europe (excluding Great Britain and Ireland): +4.5%, the United States: +11%, and Russia: +20% was greatly hindered by the ongoing crisis in the British Isles: -20%, which is the platform’s second-largest destination.
New Visual Identity
The SA Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur needed its own identity. The airport’s emblematic palm tree image was chosen as the logo. Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur is a strong brand, both locally and internationally, closely linked to the myth of the Côte d’Azur and embodying the value of openness outlined in its corporate project.
Business Aviation
Business Aviation Terminal in Nice
The transformation of the former Corsican terminal, adjacent to Terminal 2, led to the completion in April 2010, of a 1,500 m² Business Aviation Terminal in Nice, offering high-quality services to passengers. The growth in this sector in 2010: +12% erased the effects of the 2009 crisis.
Aviation Hangar in Cannes-Mandelieu
Cannes-Mandelieu launched a program for business and light aviation hangars. The first hangar, specially dedicated to light aviation and inaugurated in March 2010, can accommodate 20 light aircraft and small jets.
Environmental Charter at Cannes-Mandelieu Airport
A new environmental charter was signed in July 2010 for a 5-year period. Among the 40 actions listed in this charter, notable ones include:
- the implementation of a trajectory tracking and noise measurement system
- the classification of the airport in category B, requiring pilots to be trained in approach and landing procedures, particularly avoiding overflying densely populated areas.
A protocol was also signed with ACNUSA (Airport Nuisance Control Authority), committed to monitoring the effectiveness of the Environmental Charter and, if necessary, using its expertise to improve outcomes.
Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is the second-largest airport in France with 9.6 million passengers, 103 direct destinations, and 55 regular airlines in 2010. It is also the only regional airport offering a daily flight to New York and Dubai and the leading low-cost airport in the provinces, with 3.2 million passengers per year and 18 airlines. It also serves a significant business aviation clientele (the 3rd airport in Europe after Le Bourget and Geneva) with a recently inaugurated terminal.
Cannes-Mandelieu Airport, the second-largest French business tourism airport after Paris-Le Bourget, is the preferred platform for business aviation seeking to base itself on the Côte d’Azur and have adequate ground handling facilities.
