Passenger air traffic in Europe has rebounded strongly, with a 9.5% increase in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period in 2019, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 0.4%.

From January to June 2023, the number of travelers rose by 9% compared to the previous year, also exceeding 2019 traffic levels by 0.4%.

Air traffic has fully recovered to 2019 levels within the European Union, including Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and the UK.

Despite this overall recovery, ACI Europe warns that the rebound is 'extremely fragmented,' with many airports and airlines experiencing varying levels of success.

Countries like Finland, Slovenia, Bulgaria, and Sweden have seen declines, with Sweden facing cultural resistance to flying, referred to as 'flygskam' or 'flight shame.'

The surge in leisure and family travel has favored low-cost carriers and holiday destinations, while business travel remains weaker.

The five largest airports in Europe served a total of 174.6 million passengers in the first half of the year, marking an 8% increase from the same period in 2022 and 2% above pre-pandemic levels.

Heathrow Airport recorded 39.8 million passengers from January to June 2023, a 7.4% increase from the previous year, followed by Istanbul and Charles de Gaulle airports with significant passenger growth.

The Asia-Pacific region is anticipated to lead growth in air travel, particularly driven by countries like India and Vietnam, while North America is expected to experience slower growth.

IATA forecasts that by 2043, the number of air passengers will double to 8.6 billion, with an average annual growth rate of 3.6%.

While the aviation sector has moved past the health crisis, ACI Europe emphasizes that it has yet to address its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.