Amsterdam Schiphol reported robust growth (+5.4%) in H1 2018.

In the first half of this year (H1 2018), passenger traffic at Europe’s airports grew by an average +6.7%, according to the Airports Council International (ACI) in Europe.

Passenger traffic for the non-EU market increased by +10.5% – nearly twice the growth of the EU market which registered a +5.4% rise. Both markets saw the growth dynamic recede slightly in Q2 over Q1, from +12.5% to +9.4% at non-EU airports and from +6.2% to +4.9% at EU airports.

In the EU, airports in the Baltic States, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia saw double digit growth.

Meanwhile, airports in Sweden registered the lowest growth within Europe (+1.5%). ACI says that this was due to the combination of the new national aviation tax introduced last April, the bankruptcy of regional airline Nextjet and lower outbound demand in the wake of local currency hitting its lowest value in years.

DENMARK MAKES GAINS FROM SWEDEN’S LOSS

Sweden became the only European market losing passenger traffic in June (-0.4%), with its new aviation tax among the factors leading to the improved performance of airports in neighbouring Denmark (+5.7%).

In the non-EU market, passenger traffic grew in excess of +15% at airports in Turkey, Ukraine, Georgia and Israel and Iceland.

The ‘Majors’ (Europe’s Top 5 busiest airports) recorded a passenger traffic increase of +6.3% in H1 – a notable improvement over their 2017 performance (+4.3%).

Istanbul Atatürk topped the league in terms of growth (+12.9%), followed by Frankfurt (+9.1%). Amsterdam Schiphol also reported robust growth (+5.4%), followed by Paris CDG (+3.0% – whose performance was impacted by repeated strikes at Air France), and capacity constrained London Heathrow (+2.6%).

DEMAND FOR LOW-COST TRAVEL CONTINUES TO GROW

Stronger growth focused mainly on secondary & smaller hubs as well as selected medium sized & larger regional airports – reflecting ever evolving competitive dynamics largely driven by Low Cost Carriers and non-EU Full Service Carriers.

These airports include: Istanbul-SAW (+12.4%), Lisbon (+12.9%), Milan-Malpensa (+11.1%), Athens (+11.4%), Tel Aviv (+13.1%), Helsinki (+12%), Moscow-Vnukovo (+19.8%), Warsaw (+14.8%), Prague (+10.3%), Budapest (+14.8%), Naples (+24.7%), Keflavik (+15.6%), Valencia (+20.2%), Krakow (+17.8%), Malta (+16.3%), Sevilla (+26.9%), Palermo (+16.9%), Nantes (+14%) and Heraklion (+14.2%).

Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI Europe commented: “Our expectations for the first half of the year were cautiously positive, not least because of the extraordinary rise in passenger traffic Europe has enjoyed last year. But the results we are issuing today reveal just how robust air traffic growth has remained so far.

“Such growth is clearly putting our aviation system under pressure – with the impact of both a lack of airport capacity and Air Traffic Management inefficiencies becoming more and more acute and now directly affecting air travellers.”

He added: “Looking ahead beyond the summer, the diminishing growth in freight traffic points to the economic risks from trade disputes and their escalation. Higher prices, disrupted supply chains and wavering exports are likely implications – which would inevitably end up affecting demand for air transport. The increasing odds of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit scenario are just adding to the stress – and could soon start weakening consumer confidence.”