Olsztyn-Mazury Airport ended 2025 with a net loss of 19.54 million zloty, marking a worse result than a year earlier and one of the biggest losses in the airport’s history.
The figure was 1.8 million zloty higher than the loss recorded in the previous year. The airport in Szymany also said handling one passenger cost 219 zloty.
The latest result underlines the financial strain facing the regional airport despite efforts to increase traffic. The loss deepened to almost 20 million zloty even as passenger numbers rose.
Olsztyn-Mazury Airport has long been one of Poland’s smaller regional airports and depends heavily on a limited number of routes and seasonal demand. That makes it more exposed than larger hubs when traffic shifts or airlines change schedules.
The 2025 result adds to a pattern of weak financial performance at the airport. A net loss of 19.54 million zloty places it among the worst annual outcomes since it opened, reflecting the challenge of matching operating costs with revenue in a market with modest demand.
The cost per passenger figure is especially notable. At 219 zloty per traveller, the airport was spending far more on operations than it was recovering from the volume of traffic it handled.
Regional airports often rely on a mix of passenger charges, commercial income and public support to cover costs, but those revenue streams can be unstable. When passenger growth is not strong enough to offset expenses, losses can widen quickly.
For Olsztyn-Mazury, the latest accounts suggest that increased traffic alone has not been enough to improve the bottom line. The gap between use of the airport and the cost of running it remains wide.
It also highlights a broader issue for smaller airports across Europe, where local authorities and operators face pressure to justify continued investment. Supporters argue such airports improve access to less-connected regions, while critics question whether they can become financially sustainable.
In Szymany, the 2025 numbers show that challenge remains unresolved. Even with more travellers, the airport finished the year deeper in the red than before.
