Frankfurt Airport cuts passenger forecast after weak first half

Passenger numbers at Frankfurt Airport declined in the first half of the year, prompting operator Fraport to cut its full-year traffic forecast at Germany's busiest aviation hub.

Fraport now expects passenger numbers in 2026 to match last year's total of 63.2 million, abandoning its previous forecast of 65 million to 66 million passengers, chief executive Stefan Schulte said on Monday.

Passenger traffic fell 1.7% year-on-year to around 5.7 million travellers in June, the company said. In the first six months of the year, Frankfurt handled about 28.9 million passengers, down 0.8% from the same period in 2025.

The weaker performance was attributed to strikes at German flag carrier Lufthansa, the war in Iran and uncertainty among travellers caused by the debate over jet fuel supplies. Airlines led by Lufthansa have also reduced capacity at Frankfurt.

Strong growth in traffic to Africa and Asia was not enough to offset weakness on routes to the Middle East.

Despite the weaker passenger outlook, Fraport confirmed its financial guidance for the full year.