Passenger site visitors fell year-on-year for the primary time since European air transport recovered after the coronavirus pandemic.
In response to European airport business affiliation ACI EUROPE, the variety of leaflets throughout Europe’s airport community decreased by -0.7% in April 2026 in comparison with the identical month final yr.
The group stated the decline, whereas small, “represents an necessary milestone.”
Why are fewer folks flying in Europe?
ACI Europe stated its April outcomes mirrored a mix of things, together with the Center East battle, the partial shift of this yr’s Easter holidays to March, and industrial motion that has had a significant impression on the German market.
Some airports proceed to develop. One of the best performers in EU+ have been airports in Slovakia (+125.2%), Slovenia (+14.6%), Estonia (+12.1%), Malta (+13.5%) and Poland (+8.3%).
Among the many largest EU+ markets, Spain (+3.7%) and Italy (+2.2%) recorded the most effective outcomes.
Nonetheless, passenger numbers fell at airports in Germany (-8.5%), the UK (-2.1%) and France (-0.9%). Cyprus (-16.1%) and Iceland (-11.7%) recorded the steepest declines, adopted by Austria (-7.4%) and Switzerland (-6.1%).
Europe’s largest and smallest airports have been probably the most affected
Total, “main” airports (-3.5%), together with “mega” airports (-1%) and “giant” airports (+0.1%), are the phase most affected by the Center East battle, as that is the place most of Europe’s connections with the area are concentrated.
Amongst main cities, solely Barcelona (+4.1%), Madrid (+3.3%) and Amsterdam Schiphol (+2.7%) noticed passenger numbers improve in April.
Munich (-16.4%) and Frankfurt (-11%) recorded the steepest declines. This was primarily as a result of a minimum of seven days of business motion throughout the month.
Istanbul Airport (-6.8%) and Istanbul Sabiha Gökcen (-3.4%) – normally the highest performers – each contracted in April, as did London Gatwick (-8.8%) and London Heathrow (-5.34%). Then again, Rome-Fiumicino (-0.6%) and Paris-CDG (0.0%) have been nearly flat.
Conversely, ‘medium’ (+2.1%) and ‘small’ (+5.5%) airports remained largely remoted, as their route networks are primarily inside Europe, LCCs haven’t diminished capability and a few demand has shifted from long-haul to medium/short-haul journey.
Nonetheless, smaller airports proceed to fare worst, at -27.7% in comparison with pre-pandemic (2019) ranges, reflecting structurally modified market circumstances and vital challenges relating to monetary viability.
EES methods stay a ‘urgent concern’
ACI Europe Director Normal Olivier Jankovec stated April marked a transparent inflection level for European air site visitors.
“Whereas passenger site visitors development was already normalizing following a powerful post-pandemic restoration, geopolitical instability, notably the struggle within the Center East, is now placing additional strain on development, revealing vast disparities in efficiency between markets,” he says.
“The encouraging information is that demand typically stays sturdy, with restricted capability changes by airways, allaying considerations about potential jet gas shortages.”
Nonetheless, Jankovec added that probably the most urgent concern stays the “extreme disruption and hardship imposed on passengers by the border management processes related to the Schengen entry/exit system.”
“Until authorities are allowed extra flexibility, together with shutting down the system utterly if operationally crucial, the disruption to passengers will proceed to accentuate within the coming weeks and months,” he stated.
