Eurocontrol’s latest traffic outlook underlines the region’s economic and geopolitical uncertainties, even as the agency revises upwards the number of European flights expected in 2023 and 2024 as post-pandemic pent-up demand continues to drive bookings.
In its spring update to the seven-year traffic outlook presented in October 2022, the European network manager noted that flight movements have developed in line with the base scenario it established last year. That scenario was based on a context of weak GDP and inflation, including for jet fuel, impacting demand as well as lower consumer propensity to fly.
The spring update considers traffic trends since then and revises upwards the expected number of European flights in 2023 and 2024, “due to the continuation of vivid pent-up demand [solid bookings, strong tourist flows in Southern Europe],” Eurocontrol said.