Aircraft

Traffic in the Eurocontrol region increased 5.3% on average during 2007, with the growth driven mainly by dramatic surges in eastern European activity, flights by scheduled low-cost carriers and business aviation, according to the agency.

Delays were up slightly, but further forecast traffic increases this year will result in "significant delays" in the summer peak period because the system will reach capacity at some points, says Eurocontrol director general David McMillan.

Last year several eastern European states experienced almost 20% traffic increases, while growth in Finland and Sweden, the Azores and Canary Islands was lower than the European average, says Eurocontrol, explaining: "Growth was driven mainly by low-cost carriers - which saw an increase of 25% on the year as a whole - and business aviation with 10%, between them accounting for nearly all the net new flights."

The agency predicts that this year, for the first time, 20% of all flights will be operated by low-cost carriers.

Last year for the first time the region saw the number of flights in Europe exceed 10 million, with an average of 27,676 flights a day compared to 26,286 in 2006. Eurocontrol predicts traffic growth of 4.2% in 2008, and foresees increased air traffic flow management (ATFM) delays in the summer peak period.

Delays rose in 2007, affecting an average of 11% of flights, up from just under 10% the previous year.

More than half the delays - 56% - were attributed to airlines, with other major factors the 16% caused by airports, 12% by en-route air traffic management and 9% by weather.

Eurocontrol says ATFM delays, which are caused by factors like ATC capacity, staffing, weather, and aerodrome capacity increased from an average of 1.9min per flight in 2006 to 2.1min per flight in 2007, and in summer this year it forecasts ATFM delays of more than 3min/flight compared with peak period ATFM delays of 2.6min in 2007.

The agency predicts traffic growth will be strongest in countries along the Adriatic Coast, and in Poland and the three Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania).

McMillan comments that it has been a major achievement for European air traffic management to accommodate the growth that has taken place and still contain ATM-caused delays.

But, he predicts: "Growth in air traffic will continue, and ATC is operating at capacity in some places, so there is a real risk of significant delays this summer, with disruption for airlines and their passengers."