Air traffic in popular summer destinations has already started seeing increases, with the number of daily flights recorded by the United Kingdom increasing by four per cent – totalling 5,490 flights while Greece recorded an increase of 17 per cent in traffic.
According to Eurocontrol, the EU Organisation for Safety of Air Navigation, a total of 1,325 daily flights to and from Greece were recorded in the first week of May, with the 17 per cent increase positioning the country ninth on the list of top ten states with increased traffic for this period, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
In addition, flights to Athens have increased by six per cent, with 646 daily flights, while the total number of daily flights recorded in May was 28,444 – 0.3 per cent up from the previous week. More flights could have been operated, but the industrial action on May 1 caused a 1,700-flight drop. In general, 92 per cent of the traffic of 2019 levels was restored during the week.
“Two low-cost carriers significantly increased their flight volumes. TUI operated +39 per cent more than in Week 17, and moved up to 15th with 383 daily flights, while Jet2 increased by +31 per cent and moved up to 21st (324 daily flights),” Eurocontrol explains in a press release.
The busiest country was the United Kingdom, with the number of flights recorded from this country being four per cent more than in the previous week, reaching a total of 5,490 daily flights. In addition, London Heathrow Airport recorded a one per cent increase, totalling 1,278 daily flights, following Paris CDG, which recorded 1,266 daily flights, one per cent less than in the previous year.
On the other hand, London’s second-busiest airport London Gatwick experienced a seven per cent with 741 daily flights, positioning the country ninth on the top ten list.
Paris CDG was especially impacted by the industrial action at both international and national carrier levels as France recorded a total of 4,024 daily flights – four per cent below week 17, and Air France’s traffic dropped by six per cent, recording 1,012 daily flights.
Furthermore, the three leading countries for the best result for the week include the UK (5,490 flights), Spain (4,821) and Germany (4,685), while the airline with the best results was Ryanair – 3,039 daily flights. EasyJet and Turkish Airlines follow second and third with 1,627 and 1,527 daily flights, respectively.
On the other hand, Istanbul Airport was the airport with the most operated flights (1,434 daily), although the result was one per cent below those recorded on week 17. Amsterdam-Schiphol and London Heathrow followed with 1,315 and 1,278 daily flights, respectively.