BELGIUM. European weekly air passenger traffic for the period ending 16 May 2004 was +15% up on the same week in 2003, according to the Association of European Airlines (AEA).
The growth figures for Week 20 this year were higher because last year’s Week 20 saw a general strike in France which affected air traffic.
Traffic on the North Alantic routes rose +12.2% and Asia Pacific +62.8%.
Despite the positive growth, AEA Secretary General Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus warned: “This recovery process is a very fragile one. At the moment, we are seeing one carrier after another forced to recoup the spiralling cost of fuel by means of surcharges. The airlines’ finances are just not robust enough to absorb such external cost pressures.”
MORE STORIES ON EUROPEAN AIR TRAFFIC
European weekly traffic rises +6.2% – 24/05/04
Traffic up on last year, but rate of growth slackening, says AEA – 26/11/03
European traffic slows again says AEA – 07/11/03
Weekly AEA figures show slight improvement in Europe – 20/03/03
