European airports January *

The airport trade body, Airports Council International Europe (ACI Europe), last Friday released its air traffic report for January.

BTN shows below the figures for 2022, and those for January 2019.  The difference is dramatic, and will probably become worse when the numbers for February 2022 and the instigation of war by Russia on Ukraine 24 February.

Passenger traffic across the European airport network increased by +158% during the month compared to the same period last year, when large parts of the continent remained in full lockdown and access to most intercontinental markets was shut off.

However, passenger volumes in January 2022 still remained -45.7% below pre-pandemic levels (January 2019).

Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI Europe, commented: “January saw the recovery going into reverse mode, due to the attempts of many European countries to contain Omicron through a combination of local measures and largely inefficient travel restrictions. The positive thing is that we are now out of these dynamics. Travel regimes are finally aligning, allowing fully vaccinated people to freely travel again both within and outside Europe, and local restrictions are also being eased across the continent. But just as prospects were finally brightening, the atrocious invasion of Ukraine by Russia is now casting the longest of shadows”.

www.aci-europe.org

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Frank Fine, Balham, South London

It seems that Heathrow is creeping back towards the top, but will its pricing deter passengers from North America visiting Europe and use other gateways. BA will also miss out!