Eurocontrol: Flight Levels in Europe Set to Reach pre-Covid 2019 Levels in 2025

Photo source: European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation

Air transport recovery in Europe is expected to recoup pre-pandemic 2019 levels in 2025, according to a revised forecast by the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol).

More specifically, in Eurocontrol’s updated outlook for 2024-2030, despite a strong summer 2023, the number of European flights showed lower-than-expected volumes since November 2023.

At the same time, the flight forecast has been revised slightly downward until 2027 in Europe with 2024 economic estimates revised downward also.

According to the latest data, the number of flights in Europe are expected to reach 10.6 million in 2024, up by 4.9 percent over 2023, reaching 96 percent of 2019 levels.

Eurocontrol analysts go on to add that the trend is set to continue into 2025 with an increase to 10.9 million (99 percent), and to 11.2 million (101 percent) by 2026.

According to a base scenario, Europe is expected to achieve a flight growth rate of 2.8 percent in 2025. On a monthly basis, the number of flights is likely to reach pre-Covid 2019 levels in the summer of 2025.

Looking past 2025, flight growth in Europe is expected to average 2.5 percent per year between 2023 and 2030.

However, analysts say this seven-year forecast is subject to a number of risks including changing inflation and greater uncertainty triggered by existing or new conflicts, longer period of conflicts, oil prices, future airspace and network changes, natural disasters, environmental pressures, cancellations due to strikes and staff shortages at airports and airlines.