Airport News
ACI Europe has reported that traveller traffic at European airports grew by 6.3% during January 2014.
The airport trade body revealed the figures in its Airport Traffic Report for January, which included 187 airports, representing around 88% of European air passenger traffic.
ACI Europe says the first indication of air traffic performance in Europe reveals a ‘promising beginning to the year’ compared to January 2013.
EU airports showed an average rise of 4.6% in traffic, with those national markets most affected by the sovereign debt crisis now all back in growth mode.
ACI Europe says passenger traffic at non-EU airports reported an average increase of 11.8%, driven by ‘extremely dynamic growth’ in Turkey, Russia, Iceland and also Israel.
Among the biggest increases were 14.8% at Istanbul Atatürk Airport, 6.6% at London Gatwick, 10.3% at Moscow Sheremetyevo, 6.7% at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, and 16% at St Petersburg-Pulkovo.
Aircraft movements for the whole of Europe reported an increase of 2.9%, while freight was up 9.0%.
Olivier Jankovec, director general ACI EUROPE, says: “This is a very good start to 2014, even though these figures are helped by comparatively weak ones in January last year.
“Still, 80% of Europe’s airports saw an increase in passenger traffic in January, the best overall performance in more than two years.
“Freight volumes are now more than 3% above their 2011 levels, which also confirms a renewed market dynamic.
“The fact that airlines are cautiously adding more capacity should help sustain further growth in air traffic in the coming months.”
