FAB CE traffic to overtake 2019 levels in the next few weeks

For FAB CE air navigation service providers (ANSPs) the last few days of November and the first few days of December 2022 are forecast to mark an important milestone: the first time that 2022 FABCE traffic levels collectively are likely to surpass flight numbers recorded in 2019, with the prospect of them remaining higher thereafter.

Forecast data provided by the Network Manager with additional analysis by Slovenia Control indicates that the recovery in the FAB CE region will be stronger than most other parts of Europe. In its latest short term forecast assessment released in June this year, Eurocontrol is predicting flight numbers throughout the network will still be down around 10% over 2019 figures by the start of December 2022.

“We are seeing a strong recovery in most areas of the FAB CE region,” said Matej Eljon, FAB CE Programme Manager and Director of FAB CE Aviation Ltd,” with traffic levels climbing strongly in Slovenia and Croatia. However, the recovery is volatile and not consistent throughout the region – in particular, traffic demand in the Czech Republic during September was still 24.7% lower than in 2019.”

According to Eurocontrol analysis, traffic flows have been severely disrupted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the closure of Ukrainian airspace, leading to wide-spread flight diversion in some FAB CE areas but adding overflights in other areas.