Passenger traffic in European airports is back to 96.9pc of pre pandemic levels, and increased by 12.1pc in Q3 compared to the same period last year, showing a strong performance despite higher air fares and inflationary pressures.
London-Heathrow surpassed its 2019 traffic performance for the first time since the onset of the pandemic, while 48pc of Europe’s airports recovered their 2019 traffic volumes.
Recovery patterns varied across countries and airports. Some countries, like Luxembourg, Greece, and Portugal, showed strong recovery, while others, like Finland and Germany, lagged behind due to factors such as the war in Ukraine and airspace closures.
Ali data noted the strength of the EU+ market, disparities in recovery among countries, and the performance of major and regional airports, with leisure and intra-European travel driving the recovery and low-cost carriers expanding their capacity.
