European airlines expect to recover 100% of pre-pandemic traffic this summer

Data from Eurocontrol reveal that, between the 15th and 21st of March, 4% more flights were being carried out than in the previous week and 88% of the levels of 2019

Airlines for Europe (A4E), one of the largest airline associations in the European Union (EU), said today that it expects that, in the summer aviation season that now begins, it will be possible to reach 100% of pre-pandemic traffic, by “ good signs”.

“A4E members continue to see demand for air travel as we head into the summer and while we have not yet fully recovered to 2019 traffic levels, […] the signs are good and it is anticipated that this year we will be much closer to 100% of pre-covid-19 traffic”, indicates the association, in a written response sent today to Lusa.

In addition, “some A4E members will already exceed 2019 traffic levels”, points out the organization that represents 70% of European air traffic.

Data from Eurocontrol, a pan-European aviation support organization, reveal that, between the 15th and 21st of March, an average of around 24 flights were being carried out per day, 4% more than in the previous week and 88% from 2019 levels.

Despite the recent effects on the aeronautical sector of the French strikes provoked by the pension law reform, causing cancellations and delays, Eurocontrol data reveal that four airlines operating in the EU were, between March 15 and 21, already operating “very above 2019 levels”, as is the case with Wizz Air (39%), Ryanair (+13%), Turkish Airlines (+6%) and Vueling (+5%).

Asked about possible impacts of the economic and political context this summer, at a time when the high season for aviation starts, A4E admits that there are “a series of challenges that could have an impact on demand, so airlines will not take anything for granted ”, namely due to inflation, energy crisis and geopolitical tensions.

“As we have seen over the last few years, events can change quickly, but the signs are good”, he points out, even so.

When asked about possible operational disruptions this summer, similar to what happened in 2022, A4E guarantees that “airlines are in a much better position and the entire industry has learned the lessons”.

The association stresses that “many airlines have started recruiting much earlier for the summer”, and are also “working closely with partners to ensure that […], when there are any problems, they can be resolved collectively”.

"Of course, there are always variables beyond our control, for example, when it comes to air traffic controllers, but on the side of the airlines, we are prepared and we have no reason to believe that there will be a repetition of last summer's disturbance", assures A4E to Lusa.

The airlines represented by A4E were affected by the disruptions seen in the summer of 2022, caused by higher-than-expected demand, staff shortages due to redundancies during the covid-19 pandemic and situations such as crew or air controller strikes and lack of infrastructures.

The aviation sector was one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, with A4E member airlines losing around 500 million passengers between 2020-2021 compared to 2019 and laying off 150 employees.

Created in 2016, A4E has 16 airlines operating in the EU as members, such as the Air France-KLM group, easyJet, Lufthansa group, Ryanair, TAP Air Portugal, TUI, among others, which in total usually transport more than 720 million passengers per year, operating more than 3.000 aircraft and generating more than 130 billion euros in annual turnover.

 



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