The latest data released by Airports Council International (ACI) Europe provides an insightful look into the state of air travel during the peak of summer and the entire third quarter of 2023. Despite the ongoing economic challenges posed by high inflation rates and increased airfares, European airports experienced a rise of 12.1% in passenger traffic compared to the same period last year.
The resurgence has brought air traffic volumes closer to pre-pandemic figures, now trailing just 3.1% behind Q3 2019. This is a substantial improvement from the -7.7% deficit recorded in the year’s first half and marks a stepping stone towards a full rebound.
Significantly, London-Heathrow Airport, Europe’s busiest, has outpaced its 2019 passenger volume, marking a significant recovery milestone post-COVID-19. Nearly half of the continent’s airports are now operating at or above their 2019 traffic levels, with 48% of them reporting complete recovery.
The ACI Europe report highlights the EU+ area’s performance, which is approaching its pre-pandemic passenger traffic figures, standing only 4.2% below 2019 levels. This closing gap represents a critical accomplishment with the EU+ market showing robust growth, in contrast to the rest of Europe’s 2.9% increase above pre-COVID-19 levels.
Country-specific recovery rates, however, display marked variations. Luxembourg (+13.3%), Greece (+12.9%), Portugal (+11.0%), Malta (+6.5%), and Croatia (+6.4%) showcased significant resilience in Q3 2023. On the downside, Finland’s -32.8% demonstrates a severe shortfall, with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine affecting the region’s air traffic profoundly.
Türkiye’s airport throughput exceeds Q3 2019 by 6%, with Istanbul airport’s performance (+14.1% over 2019) being particularly noteworthy. Conversely, Russia reports a minor decrease of 0.6%, while Israel’s figures are compromised by recent conflict, standing at a negligible 0.1% below 2019 Q3 levels.
The report also sheds light on individual airports and groups based on passenger traffic. London-Heathrow leads with a 22.9% year-on-year increase, and Istanbul follows closely, showcasing a 10.8% rise over Q3 2021 and a 14.1% increase over pre-pandemic numbers.
In contrast to the major hubs, regional airports like Trapani, Perugia, and Zadar, with increases of 378%, 194%, and 155.7% respectively against Q3 2019 levels, display the shifting dynamics towards secondary travel destinations.
While freight traffic faced a downturn of 3% across the European network and a 9.8% deficit against pre-pandemic levels, specific hubs such as Milan and Istanbul report positive figures.
Aircraft movements reflect this growing confidence with a collective increment of 7.8% within the EU+ area in Q3. The activity levels of airports ranging from large to small categories underscore a diverse recovery, where regional airports have particularly shone, exceeding pre-pandemic levels by 4%.
As the industry anticipates the final quarter of 2023, the September figures reinforce the upward trend with passenger traffic at +12.1% over 2022 and just -3.0% from 2019 levels, suggesting that the aviation market is on a clear trajectory to pre-pandemic performance despite current global economic and political uncertainties.
