The closing of Bromma airport will lead to disaster for the Swedish industry

Last week, the left-wing majority in the Stockholm Municipality presented a proposal to close down Bromma airport in 2022. Residences will be built there in its stead.

In my opinion, this is crazy talk. It would be a big blow to the Swedish industry. The fact is that flight capacity is completely crucial for the competitiveness of the industry.

The air service will be affected if Bromma closes. Sweden will be less able to compete with other countries. In addition, economic growth will be stunted and several job opportunities will disappear or never exist. This will not only affect the Stockholm region. The north and the south will lose their airway link to the capitol.

The suggestion that the “important” air traffic is to move to Arlanda airport is downright flippant, since the flight peaks at Bromma airport are at same time during day as the peaks at Arlanda.     

The Swedish business manager Jacob Wallenberg says today that this announcement is a big blow to Swedish companies and organizations.  

Before the election the new Swedish Prime Minister, Stefan Löfvén, said that Bromma airport will stay open. When he was questioned about his view on the proposal by Expressen, a Swedish newspaper, last week he answered:

Now there is a local majority in Stockholm that has expressed its view. Firstly we’ll have to see if the Stockholm Municipality comes to the government with a request, because as of now, they have not done so. But if they do, we will appoint a negotiator and then we will have to see how it develops.

This is likely not the last time I air this subject.

Thomas Ström
Founder and CEO of NTEX