Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Vooruit, led by Kris Verduyckt, wants to end subsidies for Antwerp’s Deurne Airport, citing €658,000 loss in 2024, only 208,000 passengers, minimal cargo, and poor economic return.
As VRT News reported, Vooruit, a party in the Flemish government, says it will stop supporting Antwerp’s Deurne Airport. The party thinks the airport is no longer useful for Flanders. The operator LEM Antwerpen, as per recent numbers, made a 2024 loss of €658000 and is relying increasingly on subsidies from the Flemish Region.
Party leader Kris Verduyckt points to a drop in passenger numbers. Before COVID-19, more than 300,000 people used the airport each year, but in 2024, only about 208,000 passengers passed through. Vooruit says spending more public money on Deurne is no longer worth it.
What’s next for Antwerp’s Deurne airport amid subsidy debate?
Deurne Airport is one of 3 regional airports owned by the Flemish Region, along with Ostend and Kortrijk. The government maintains the main infrastructure, while private companies handle daily work. In Antwerp, Egis runs the airport and needs subsidies.
Vooruit’s decision adds pressure on the Flemish government to review its transport spending. Backers say Deurne is useful for business travel and small planes. Critics in Vooruit say it wastes public money.
Backers said,
“We’re currently wasting resources on airports that barely attract any visitors, but cost taxpayers a lot of money. Our party has always advocated for reducing funding, and we negotiated this in the coalition agreement “
According to officials, the debate over Deurne Airport is putting more pressure on the Flemish government to decide if subsidies should continue. The airport has little cargo, few routes, and fewer passengers, making it harder for supporters to defend the costs, especially when Ostend–Bruges Airport still handles a lot of freight.
Critics say the high cost compared to the economic return cannot last, while supporters point to Deurne’s value for business flights and local connections. Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder (N-VA) is on holiday and has not yet responded, so the discussion will continue when the government meets again.
“Flanders must provide schools, public transport, and healthcare, but not planes from every major city.”
Kris Verduckt, faction leader Vooruit, Flemish Parliament
What is the future of Deurne airport amid rising subsidies and falling traffic?
In 2023, the Flemish government carried out a study to see what its 3 regional airports bring in. The report showed that for every euro Deurne Airport earns privately, the Flemish Region pays about 3 euros in subsidies. Vooruit says the gap has grown since then because passenger numbers have dropped and subsidies have gone up.
Deurne Airport has served Antwerp for many years. It mainly handles business and private flights. Over time, it started relying more on government money to keep running. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, many passengers used the airport.
But numbers have dropped a lot since then. Deurne Airport has very little cargo traffic. This has raised questions about whether public funding for the airport should continue or be shifted to other priorities. The debate comes amid declining passenger numbers and increasing subsidies.
