The world’s airlines will this month operate more than 77,500 flights into and out of Europe, eight per cent more than in January 2005, according to OAG. The UK is once again setting the pace for growth in aviation activity in the major markets.
More than 7,300 scheduled flights to and from the UK have been timetabled for January, an eight per cent increase compared with the same month a year ago. Germany, with 4,000 flights, and France, with 3,000, are showing only five per cent growth.
Elsewhere in Europe, the number of flights to and from both Spain and Italy will be seven per cent higher than a year ago.
Scandinavia’s international schedule is showing growth of just one per cent, but lead the way when it comes to budget flying – the number of low-cost flights into and out of Scandinavia this month is 47 per cent higher than in January 2005.
"The fact that none of the major traffic-generating markets has shown aviation activity growth greater than the Europe-wide average shows just how fast the smaller markets are growing,” says Duncan Alexander, managing director of OAG Data.
“We are seeing significant percentage increases, particularly in central and eastern European countries, although the actual number of flights is still relatively small.”
Worldwide, airlines will be operating nearly 2.3 million scheduled flights, the highest January flights programme since 2001, offering the equivalent of some 266.5 million seats. The number of flights is two per cent higher than in January 2005, while the number of seats is four per cent higher.
The figures are revealed in OAG’s latest Quarterly Airline Traffic Statistics, a regular snapshot of airline activity around the world. OAG collates data from more than 1000 scheduled airlines, on a daily basis, to give an overview of anticipated travel demand.
In intercontinental terms, Africa is showing the biggest increase in aviation activity, with airlines planning 12 per cent more flights this January. Middle Eastern timetables are ten per cent busier, and the Asia-Pacific region is showing growth of nine per cent. There are two per cent more flights planned into and out of Central and South America, but North American schedules are showing zero growth.