Copenhagen Airport sees record traffic amid climate concerns as Danes prioritize summer travel

This summer has brought numerous concerning weather events worldwide, including severe landslides and flooding in India, a heatwave in Europe, and wildfires in Canada and California. July recorded the hottest days ever recorded on Earth. However, this has not deterred many Danes from taking climate-impactful flights for their summer vacations. Copenhagen Airport experienced unprecedented traffic in July, with nearly 3.2 million passengers passing through its terminals.

Peter Krogsgaard, the airport’s commercial director, expressed support for Danes traveling for leisure, noting that tourism contributes over 150 billion kroner to Denmark’s economy and supports around 150,000 jobs. Yet, the surge in flights also raises environmental concerns, with the aviation industry responsible for approximately four percent of global warming. Calculations indicate that it would take a Congolese citizen over 30 years to emit the same amount of CO2 as one person does on a round trip between Denmark and Thailand.

Despite the increased passenger numbers, Copenhagen Airport reported a nine percent decrease in flights compared to 2019, attributed to airlines becoming more efficient in filling aircraft and utilizing modern, fuel-efficient planes. Krogsgaard acknowledged that while passenger numbers have soared, this trend does not support climate goals, and the airport is actively working to reduce its emissions.

Economist John Thøgersen pointed out that flying remains the most affordable transport option when compared to greener alternatives, a sentiment further fueled by increased disposable income among Danes post-pandemic. He believes that until flying becomes significantly more expensive relative to alternatives like train travel, passenger numbers will likely continue to rise, hampering efforts to reduce aviation’s environmental impact.