European Air Traffic Controllers Predict Slow Recovery Over 2021

Jan. 4—FRANKFURT — European air traffic controllers are anticipating a slow recovery from the coronavirus pandemic in the aviation sector this year, according to an analysis published in Brussels on Monday.

The European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL) predicts flights and passengers at just 51 per cent of pre-crisis levels, following the cancellation of around 6.1 million flights and the loss of 1.7 billion passengers last year.

While airlines were the main beneficiaries of state assistance over the course of 2020, airports would be heavily reliant on state subsidies over the year ahead, the organization said.

"We're confident that the recovery will start to firm up in 2021 as the vaccine rolls out across the globe. However, it's clear that the entire aviation sector will continue to need financial support in the years ahead," EUROCONTROL director general Eamonn Brennan said.

According to the analysis, the Lufthansa Group had to cancel 67 per cent of its flights, as had Easyjet. IAG, which operates British Airways and Iberia, lost 65 per cent of its flights.

Ryanair flew 59 per cent fewer flights than in 2019 and Air France/KLM 55 per cent fewer.

Frankfurt lost its top spot in handling flights to Amsterdam, where the decline was lower.

At the end of the year, some 51 per cent of European airlines' fleets were grounded, totalling 4,118 of 8,048 planes. In April, the figure reached a peak of 87 per cent.

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