The Airports Council International (ACI) Europe released its air traffic report for August 2024, highlighting a 5.6% increase in passenger traffic across Europe compared to the same period last year. European airports performed better than in July, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 2.3%.
While international passenger traffic grew by 7.1%, there was a slight 0.2% decline in domestic passenger traffic. ACI Europe’s General Manager, Olivier Jankovec, noted that European airports welcoming 251.5 million passengers in August, despite challenging geopolitical conditions and rising costs, is a significant achievement. He emphasized the importance of air travel in European life and called for better policies and regulations to support the sector.
Dynamic Growth in Southeastern Europe in the EU+ Market
Airports in the EU+ market experienced a 7% rise in passenger traffic in August, with particularly strong growth in Southeastern Europe, where many airports saw double-digit increases. Countries like Poland (+25.5%), Luxembourg (+25.4%), Iceland (+21.1%), Malta (+19.4%), Greece (+18.7%), and Italy (+14.2%) significantly exceeded pre-pandemic levels. However, Finland (-27.4%), Sweden (-21.2%), and Germany (-13.4%) struggled with recovery, impacted by the Ukraine-Russia war and changes in market dynamics.
Diverging Performance in Non-EU Markets
Non-EU airports saw a 1.5% drop in passenger traffic compared to last year, mainly due to geopolitical tensions. Domestic passenger traffic in these regions fell by 6.2%. While air traffic in Ukraine and Russia suffered significant losses due to the war, countries like Albania (+192.9%), Uzbekistan (+174%), Armenia (+66.8%), and Georgia (+49.8%) experienced notable growth.
Istanbul Airport Leads Major Airports
Among major airports, Istanbul Airport posted the highest performance, with a 1.7% growth compared to August 2023 and a 14.8% increase over pre-pandemic levels, maintaining its leadership. London Heathrow and Rome Fiumicino were other major hubs that performed well, with Rome seeing the highest growth rate among majors at 20.6%.
Increase in Cargo Traffic and Aircraft Movements
In August, European airports saw a 12.6% rise in cargo traffic, with EU+ airports increasing by 12.2% and non-EU airports by 15.1%. Aircraft movements also grew by 3.6%, nearly reaching pre-pandemic levels.
The strong growth in both passenger and cargo traffic at Europe’s largest airports points to a sustained recovery in the sector. However, as ACI Europe highlighted, improvements in policies at both EU and national levels are needed to ensure this recovery is sustainable.
