Polish Airports to take 49% stake in Centralny Port Komunikacyjny
December 28, 2024
Polish Airports (PPL) has agreed a Letter of Intent to take a minority stake and collaborate on the construction of Poland’s Central Airport – Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK).
With CPK retaining the majority stake (51%) in CPK.Lotnisko – the subsidiary responsible for the construction and management of the new air transport hub – the remaining 49% stake being held by PPL means the project will remain rooted in national expertise while making use of domestic resources. The partnership transaction is expected to be finalised in Q4 2025.
Transforming European connectivity
Due for completion in 2032, CPK is set to become one of Europe’s most innovative airports. Located between Warsaw and Lodz, it is being designed to serve as an intermodal transport hub capable of handling 34 million passenger annually, positioning Poland as a central aviation hub for Europe. It will feature two parallel runways and will integrate airside and landside zones with a high-speed railway station and bus terminal incorporated into the terminal. In addition to catering for those travelling from Poland, the airport will also serve as a gateway for inhabitants of Central and Eastern Europe, such as Lithuanians, Czechs and Ukrainians.
The project has an estimated construction cost of PLN 44.7 billion (GBP 8.7 billion). PPL has committed up to PLN 9 billion, while CPK will allocate PLN 9.125 billion to the airport’s construction, while the remaining costs will be covered through bond issuance and other debt instruments.
Polish expertise
Currently operating Warsaw Chopin Airport as well as several other regional airports, PPL will also bring its expertise as an airport operator to the table, with CEO, Andrzej Ilków saying the “capital investment of Polish Airports in CPK.Lotnisko will allow it to continue its role as a key institution in the Polish aviation market, linked to nearly a century of Polish aviation tradition. We have the skilled staff and knowledge necessary to meet the challenges associated with the construction of the CPK airport, especially during the launch and operational phases.”
He was joined by CPK CEO, Dr. Filip Czernicki, who said that by combining the two organisations’ expertise and joint capital commitment, the goals of the CPK programme will be effectively realised, “from leveraging know-how and technologies to the eventual commissioning and operational management of the CPK airport.”
