January 2024 Passenger Numbers Return to Pre-Pandemic Levels
January 2024 witnessed a continued recovery in passenger traffic, marking steady growth compared to January 2023.During this period, more people travelled through European airports compared to last year, with a seven per cent increase. Most of this growth came from international travellers, up eight per cent, while domestic travel only went up by two per cent, SchengenVisaInfo reports.
According to a recent report by Airports Council International (ACI Europe), the number of international passengers has reached the same level as before the pandemic, marking a significant milestone after five years of challenges.
A previous report by the same authority also revealed that, similarly to January 2024, some airports had exceeded their 2019 levels in January of last year.
Airport Traffic Reaches Pre-Pandemic Levels During This January as International Travel Rebounds
ACI Europe points out the the passenger surge registered in January 2024 means that airports almost return to how busy they were before the pandemic. They’re only three per cent below the levels of January 2019. While international travel has fully recovered, domestic travel still lags, down by 13 per cent compared to 2019.
Further data from ACI Europe shows that in January of this year, EU airports experienced an eight per cent increase in passenger traffic compared to the same month last year.
In this regard, significant growth has been observed in the airports of the following countries:
- Slovenia (+29.8 per cent)
- Czech Republic (+28.9 per cent)
- Malta (+22.6 per cent)
- Poland (+18.9 per cent)
- Hungary (+16.6 per cent)
Airports of Malta, Cyprus & Poland Surpassed Their Pre-Pandemic Levels in January 2024
Despite the pandemic, several airports surpassed their pre-pandemic levels, with Malta, Cyprus, and Poland showing substantial increases. On the other hand, Slovakia, Sweden, and Slovenia remained far from a full recovery.
Moreover, major airports also saw an 8.3 per cent increase in passenger traffic, driven by strong demand and the return of Chinese travellers. London-Heathrow remained the busiest European airport, followed closely by Istanbul. Madrid replaced Amsterdam in the fourth position, while Rome Fiumicino’s impressive growth boosted the overall performance of major airports.
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