European airport trade body – ACI EUROPE – has released its August air traffic report which highlights a 5.6% increase in traffic at European airports in comparison to the same month of 2023.
The data also displayed that passenger volumes during the month were standing above pre-pandemic levels, up 2.3% when compared to August 2019.
“Europe’s airports welcomed 251.5 million passengers through their doors during the peak summer month of August – quite a feat considering the many headwinds our industry keeps facing: from escalating geopolitical tensions, much increased air fares and other supply pressures to chronic Air Traffic Management capacity issues,” Olivier Jankovec, director general of ACI EUROPE.
He added: “If anything, that speaks volumes about the fact that air travel is an intrinsic part of our European way of life. That in turn calls for better policies and regulations.
London Heathrow (LHR) maintained its position as Europe’s busiest airport in August, with passenger traffic rising by 5.5% compared to the previous month and 3.8% higher than pre-pandemic levels in August 2019, according to ACI’s figures. Istanbul Airport (IST) ranked second in Europe for passenger traffic while Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) came in third.