Western Europe: top 10 aviation nations ranked by capacity, seats per head, local airline share
Western Europe's top 10 aviation markets by 2023 seat capacity divide clearly into the big five - UK, Spain, Germany, Italy and France - and the second tier - Netherlands, Portugal, Greece, Switzerland and Norway.
All but Norway grew double digit rates in 2023, but only Greece, Portugal, Spain and Italy rose above their 2019 capacity.
Germany and Norway were still below 2019 seat numbers by double digit percentages.
In addition to absolute size, examining seats per capita relative to GDP per capita can bring additional insight. Norway and Switzerland lead the top 10 on both, and Portugal, Greece and Spain achieve high seats per capita, in spite of low GDP per capita.
This report also looks at local airline seat share in each of the top 10 Western European markets. Local airlines have more than 30% in nine markets and they lead in seven (Ryanair is the leader in the other three).
Italy stands out as having by far the lowest seat share held by local airlines.
Become a CAPA Member to access Analysis Reports
Our Analysis Reports are only available to CAPA Members. CAPA Membership provides exclusive access to in-depth insights on the latest developments in the aviation and travel industry, developed by our team of dedicated analysts located in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia.
Each report offers a fresh perspective on the latest industry trends and is available online or via the CAPA mobile app, with customisable alerts to help you stay informed and identify new business opportunities.
CAPA Membership also provides access to our full suite of tools, including a tailored selection of more than 1,000 News Briefs every week and comprehensive data and analysis on thousands of companies around the world.