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Data from a regional trade association on Friday showed passenger traffic through European airports fell last year to 1995 levels, while air transport hubs in Turkey and Russia fared well compared to their Western European counterparts.
The European Airports Council International report said European airports lost 1.72 billion passengers in 2020, surpassing 70% due to the coronavirus pandemic, bringing travel traffic back to levels not seen since before the boom low cost air transport.
“No industry can handle such a shock on its own,” Airports Council Chairman Oliver Jankovitch said in a statement.
He added that the sums allocated to support airports in the region have so far not exceeded 2.2 billion euros ($ 2.66 billion), less than 8% of the loss of revenue from the last year.
The Council made it clear that airports in the European Union were the hardest hit, not least because of the size and relative strength of the domestic aviation markets in Russia and Turkey – as well as travel restrictions and less stringent closures.
Frankfurt suffered the largest drop in passenger traffic at major air transport hubs, down 73%, followed by London Heathrow, Amsterdam-Schiphol and Paris Charles de Gaulle.
By the last quarter of last year, Istanbul Airport had become the busiest in Europe, followed by Istanbul-Sabiha Gokcen and Moscow-Sheremetyevo.
Passenger traffic through European Union airports fell 84% in the fourth quarter, compared to a 64% drop outside the Union.
“Airport aid is essential to rebuild air transport lines and provide effective support to local and regional communities and tourism,” Jankovi said?
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