Airports in the UK and Ireland saw the highest growth rates in Europe during July, as leisure travellers drove the sector’s recovery.
On average, airports in Europe saw their passenger traffic almost double in July, rising 94.3% year-on-year, with those in Ireland (up 387%), the UK (up 350%) seeing the biggest increases.
They were followed by Finland (269%), Slovakia (167%) and Iceland (147%), according to figures from European airport trade body ACI Europe for the EU+ region, which comprises the European Union, European Economic Area, Switzerland and UK.
However, passenger traffic at EU+ airports was still almost 15% down on the figures seen in July 2019, before the pandemic.
Airports in Greece, Luxembourg and Iceland achieved a full recovery, while the UK was 19% behind July 2019.
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Olivier Jankovec, director-general of ACI Europe, said: “July has kept delivering a much-needed boost in passenger traffic for most of Europe’s airports, driven by revenge – and still predominantly leisure – travel, as well as ultra-low-cost carriers expanding capacity well above pre-pandemic levels.
“As the EU+ market has been very much driving the recovery and traffic volumes are finally getting closer to pre-pandemic levels, it is essential that the EU brings its airport slots rules back to normal – requiring airlines to effectively use these slots for 80% of the time during the forthcoming winter season starting end of October.
“This is precisely what the European Commission has proposed based on a thorough market analysis – with all the necessary flexibility to duly account for travel restrictions still affecting some markets.
“Going back to the 80% usage rule is essential at this critical and dynamic juncture in the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This is about ensuring an effective use of scarce airport capacity for the benefit of air connectivity, consumers and businesses.”
Looking at airports in the rest of the European market – which includes countries such as Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Georgia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Northern Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan – passenger traffic only grew by 10.8% year-on-year in July.
This reflects the fact these airports had lost less traffic than EU+ airports last year, as well as the war wiping out all passenger traffic at Ukrainian airports, and cutting passenger traffic at airports in Belarus and Russia.
Istanbul remained the busiest European airport with 6.74 million passengers, followed by Heathrow in second place.
More than six million people used Heathrow in July although the hub set a daily cap on departing passenger numbers in mid-July, limiting passengers to 100,000 a day.