European aviation sees summer growth and record flight volumes

The European aviation sector experienced a busy summer, with Eurocontrol reporting an average of nearly 36,000 daily flights, representing a 2.4 percent increase. Despite geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, flight traffic remained high, particularly in southern and southeastern Europe. Overall, 72.6 percent of flights arrived within a fifteen-minute margin of their scheduled time.

In terms of airline punctuality, Scandinavian carrier SAS led Europe with an 86 percent on-time rate, followed by Turkish Airlines at 85 percent and Vueling at 81 percent. The KLM Group recorded a 76 percent punctuality rate. Major airports such as Schiphol, Athens, and Zurich faced challenges due to air traffic management restrictions.

Transavia reported a successful summer season, transporting over 4 million passengers in July and August, a 13 percent increase compared to the previous year. The airline operated a record of more than 400 flights per day. Management noted that they successfully reallocated capacity from the Middle East to destinations in Southern Europe and North Africa to meet shifting passenger demand.