Air Traffic In Europe Slackens

The total number of flights in Europe last year increased 0.1 percent versus 2007, the first time in five years the increase has been so low, Eurocontrol said.

Average daily traffic in Europe in 2008 increased on average by 200 flights a day — from 27,470 in 2007 to 27,676 in 2008. Major European markets, including Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, saw declines in traffic of -2.7, -2.1 and -1.7 percent, respectively. Traffic in Eastern Europe, particularly Turkey and Poland, grew overall.

“These annual figures mask a strong downturn in the last two months of the year,” the agency said. “In December, traffic overall fell by 7 percent and three-quarters of states saw declines.”

Low-cost traffic saw its first drop in 15 years, with 4,600 flights a day in November 2008 compared to 4,900 in November 2007. After three years of strong growth, business aviation traffic has gradually fallen since July. The number of daily business flights in December — 1,450 — declined 16 percent from 1,730 in December 2007.

Eurocontrol predicts the number of flights in 2009 will decline 3 percent, reversing six years of 3-percent average growth. “2008 was a difficult year for air transport and 2009 is set to be even tougher,” the agency said.