Does France Have Too Many Airports? Experts Question the Cost to Public Finances

France airport network and public finances, Digi Mart USA News (Béziers, France): Even with close listening, there is little sound at Béziers airport in southern France, although it is open during the reporting visit. A small naval aircraft sits on the apron and a few staff are present, but no passengers are visible in the terminal.

At this time of year the airport operates only four flights a week, yet local officials do not want to close it, arguing that it attracts tourists and serves a wider purpose.

Philippe Vidal, vice president of Béziers airport, said that without the airport the Hérault department would lose its local air defense capability against enemies. “I do not believe that is in the spirit of the times,” he said.

Four other airports operate nearby: Montpellier, Nîmes, Perpignan and Carcassonne. In some cases airports are even closer together; Pau and Tarbes, both relatively busy, are only about 35 minutes apart by road.

At Saint-Brieuc in Brittany’s Côtes-d’Armor department, the airport no longer has a scheduled service. Its main users are now players from the local professional football club.

Xavier Tytelman, an aeronautics and defense consultant, said maintaining such airports costs public money to support an activity that is not meant to be profitable. “It costs public money to support an activity that has no profitability purpose,” he said.

He suggested shuttle services could connect people to nearby airports, which would cost much less than keeping ageing, lightly used airports running.

France has 73 airports, compared with 49 in Spain, and fewer still in the United Kingdom and Italy. As a result, the average number of passengers per airport in France is much lower, at 2.4 million passengers a year on average, four times fewer than in Germany.

Asked whether airports should be closed, the aviation expert said: “We would reduce the cost to public finances. Some other airports would even work a little better and would therefore also need less support.”

The freight-focused airport of Vatry in the Marne department, which is running a deficit, is expected to close in the coming weeks. Currently in France, 90% of traffic is handled by just 10 airports.