Eurocontrol: European air traffic reaches pre-economic crises levels in 2016

Eurocontrol's Performance Review Commission (PRC) published (20-Mar-2017) a report on European ATM performance in 2016. Highlights include:

• Air traffic in the Eurocontrol area increased 2.4% year-on-year, the third consecutive year of growth, reaching the pre-economic crisis level of 2008;
• Europe handled an additional 681 flights per day on average;
• Growth was heterogeneous throughout the network. 25 ANSPs showed an increase in traffic, while 14 showed a traffic decline;
• Passenger numbers at the top 30 airports rose 27.5% between 2016 and 2008. Eurocontrol emphasised this is a "remarkable" difference, considering movements were just 1.0% above 2008 levels;
• Enroute air traffic flow management (ATFM) delays increased for the third consecutive year. On average, 4.8% of flights were affected by en-route ATFM delays, up 1.1ppts, with an average delay of 18 minutes per delayed flight. ATC capacity/staffing accounted for more than half of all enroute ATFM delays;
• Eurocontrol expressed concern regarding continually increasing delays if "insufficient focus is being put on capacity planning and deployment". [more - original PR]