Page 40 - World Airnews Magazine February Edition 2021

FEATURE

parallel announced purchase deferrals

and accelerated retirements of older

aircraft. Iconic types like the Boeing 747
and even some Airbus 380 are unlikely to
return to passenger ops.
Aircraft continue to be parked up out

of use around Europe and beyond: at
year-end, Madrid Barajas topped the list
of grounded locations in Europe with 132

stored aircraft, followed by Istanbul Air-
port (92), while unusual sights in the top 15
are long-term storage airfields like Teruel

(88), St. Athan (81) and Ciudad Real (55).
COVID IMPACT ON AIRPORTS
2020 saw a total year-on-year loss of an
estimated 1.7 billion passengers, with Figure 5 provides a stark comparison of how intra-European traffic

ACI estimating net losses of €33.6 billion flows have changed thanks to the pandemic. In 2020, domestic flows

for European airports over the course of predominated, with a notable increase observed in intra-Norwegian flights

the year. (8th in 2019, up to 3rd in 2020). Spanish domestic flows lost the top spot

The recovery in the number of passen- to French domestic flows, while intra-UK dropped from 3rd to 7th

gers has been significantly weaker than

that of flights, reflecting the use of

smaller aircraft and low load factors, as
already reported.
Top in 2019 with 1,408 daily move-
ments, Frankfurt drops to third in 2020

with 580, while Amsterdam finished 2020
in top spot with 644 movements - but

-54% of 2019 flights.
Two airports drop out of the 2020
list, Rome moving to 14th and London
Gatwick to 23rd, replaced in 2020 by two
airports that have preserved more of their

domestic traffic: Oslo (2019: 14th), and

Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (2019: 19th).
COVID IMPACT ON EUROPEAN
COUNTRIES

2020 traffic was down in all countries
between 40% and 73% as per Figure 7, Figure 6 shows the top 10 European airports in 2019 and 2020. Average
with eye-catching declines in the UK daily movements have dropped by between half and two-thirds at

(-1.3 million flights and -61%), followed all, and there are some notable changes owing to the pandemic
by Germany (-1.2 million flights, -56%),

Spain (-1.0 million flights, -61%), France

(-853,000 flights, -54%) and Italy The first non-domestic flow in the top COVID IMPACT ON SUSTAINABILITY
(-797,000, -60%). ten is still UK - Spain, despite decreasing

Norway was least affected in % terms by 70%.Of the regions, only Southern With 6.1 million fewer flights operated in

due to its critical dependence on aviation Africa (-44%) and Asia/Pacific (-47%) were 2020 than in 2019, flights levels last reached
during the mid-1980s, emissions have also

connectivity, down -40% on its 2019 less negatively affected than intra-Euro- declined.

flight counts by 205,000 flights. At pean flows (-54%), in both cases reflecting
the other extreme are Georgia (-73%, continuing demand to ship cargo. Interna- Emissions growth January-November

-34,000 flights), Israel (-68%, -120,000 tional traffic to the Americas has dwin- 2020 vs the same period in 2019 stood at

flights) and Morocco (-65%, -131,000 dled to between -53% and -60% of 2019 -56.7%, compared with traffic decline over
flights), all of which, unlike other coun- values, while the most strongly negatively the same period of -54.0%, with varying

tries did not see a significant recovery affected flows are to/from Russia and impacts across European States.

during the summer. Belarus (-66%), and to/from North Africa Fewer flights meant there was little to no

Where active aircraft have been flying (-65%), the latter reflecting massively congestion throughout Europe over 2020,

has also changed thanks to COVID. reduced tourism to Egypt, Tunisia and permitting more direct flight profiles. The
Medium-distance flights have been hard- especially Morocco. EUROCONTROL Network Manager also seized

est-hit. While the under 500 km category the opportunity to improve flight efficiency,

- domestic and short-range intra-Europe COVID IMPACT ON ANSPS relaxing more than 1,200 airspace restrictions
- only dropped by 43%, the medium cate- The COVID crisis has dramatically affected since the start of the crisis and saving airlines

gory 500 - 2,000 km - international Euro- in social and economic terms all actors in up to 26,000 nautical miles a day.

pean and to adjacent regions - dropped the European aviation value chain. Pan- Sustainability improvements continue to

by 58%. Long-haul (2,000 - 4,000 km) and European ANSP losses are estimated at €4.9 hinge on tackling emissions on long-haul

ultra-long-haul (4,000 + km) decreased billion - of which they can expect to recover flights with 74.6% of all emissions emitted

by 64% and 52% respectively, lower rates €4.5 billion from airspace users over the on flights of over 1,500 km, even though in

of decline that reflect the continued next decade, resulting in an overall net loss a normal year (2019 as comparator), such

importance of cargo operations. of €0.4 billion. flights only comprise 29.8% of departures.

World Airnews | February 2021
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