FAB Europe Central Traffic increase is slowing down

In the last three months, the rise in air traffic has slowed down considerably in large parts of FABEC airspace, following a European trend. Based on the data provided by Eurocontrol, FABEC recorded in May 2011 a strong growth rate of 5.1 percent compared to May 2010. This increase has slowed down considerably in the last three months. In August 2011 the increase in traffic in the FABEC airspace compared with the prior-year period was only 1.8 per cent. Europe-wide, the increase slowed down from 3.9 percent (May) to 1.0 percent (August).

Experts see the causes for this in the general economic situation, the political developments in North African countries and its effects on tourism as well as the high oil price. Although there was a significant increase in traffic at the beginning of the year (among other things resulting from the compensating effects of the ash cloud in April/May 2010), some countries will not see the traffic increase initially anticipated at the beginning of the year. The development of the overall economy will determine to what extent the trend continues in 2012.

In May 2011 the FABEC countries Belgium, France and the Netherlands recorded an increase in traffic of over 6 percent, while Germany (3.9 percent) and Switzerland (3.2 percent) each showed healthy growth. In August 2011, the increase in traffic compared with the prior-year period was 0.7 percent in Germany, 1.3 percent in Switzerland, 3.3 percent in France, 3.7 percent in Belgium and 5.0 percent in the Netherlands. Seven air navigation service providers control the airspace in six FABEC-States.

The airspace of the six FABEC States of Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland is one of the busiest and most complex in the world. Most of the major European airports and major civil airways and military training areas are located in this area. FABEC airspace has the dimensions of 1.7 million km², about 5.5 million flights per year – 55 % of all European air traffic. 17,700 people work for air navigation service providers of FABEC.

www.fabec.eu