FAB CE starts publishing regular short-term traffic forecasts to support industry recovery

As part of its 2020 strategic traffic recovery plan FAB CE has started publishing weekly short-term forecasts of expected air transport movements, based on data supplied by the Network Manager, to help FAB CE air navigation service providers (ANSPs) plan their ramp-up of activities in a safe coordinated manner.

 “The forecasts look at traffic levels six weeks in advance,” said Matej Eljon, FAB CE Programme Manager, Director of FAB CE Aviation Ltd. “They are an important resource in our work to coordinate recovery plans at FAB CE and EU levels and across industry stakeholder groups.”

In May 2020 FAB CE wrote a letter of support for the European Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) Return to Normal Operations (RNO) programme, which recognises the importance of taking a European Union-wide coordinated response to recovery.

According to Eurocontrol’s 26 June edition of its European Network 2020 Recovery Plan: “Airlines are re-starting regular flights during June and are updating their plans to operate an increasing number of flights in July and August. However, there is still volatility in the airline schedules, and it will last until stability and harmonization are reached in the relaxation of the measures. Based on the assumption that the states will continue to relieve travel restrictions as planned and the airlines start operating a revised summer schedule, the network traffic is expected to reach up to 16,500 flights during the month of July and may go up to 18,000 flights as from the beginning of August 2020. This would represent during the first weeks of August 2020 up to 50% of the traffic during the similar period in 2019.”