ELFAA welcomes continued growth of the low fares aviation sector but renews its call for significant

ELFAA member airlines continue to lead the way in the European aviation sector, with latest statistics showing a 5.6% increase in passenger numbers year-on-year from July 2011 until June 2012.

"ELFAA hails this result, particularly against the backcloth of continuing downturn in the major economies of Europe and continued high fuel prices. It demonstrates the sustainability and resilience of our economic model during these testing times," said ELFAA Secretary General John Hanlon.

"Whilst other airlines in Europe continue to plead for government hand-outs, ELFAA members are growing their passenger numbers and routes from one year to the next, while offering the best value to our passengers."

This year's figures also reveal that ELFAA members continue to fly fuller planes than their competitors, with a 0.4% increase in load factor to 82.3%, year-on-year, whilst the number of fuel-efficient ELFAA aircraft increased by 6.3%. ELFAA member airlines have the lowest emissions of CO2 per passenger mile of all business models.

"Low fares airlines are the best in the business when it comes to fuel efficiency and environmental performance," continued Mr Hanlon.

"We fully support the inclusion of aviation in the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme, which will ensure the continued sustainable growth of aviation, by taking account of our impact on the environment. We again urge all parties in the industry to support its implementation."

ELFAA airlines have over the years helped make air travel affordable and accessible to much of society, yet there is much that could still be done to further stimulate this growing industry throughout Europe.

Mr Hanlon concludes: "While ELFAA airlines are delighted at our continuing success, we will not rest on our laurels. For example, we have long been calling for the full and proper implementation of the Single European Sky, which would considerably reduce flying time and markedly improve efficiency, to the benefit of the economies of Europe, the environment and consumers."

"In addition, we call on the Commission to do all it can to encourage better use of the considerable latent capacity at secondary and regional airports, to help ease the claimed airport capacity crunch. Much of the required infrastructure is in place and, subject to upgrading of surface transport links, could accommodate point-to-point traneed to transfer at hubs.