The Letta report on the future of the EU single market has drawn criticism from the Airports association ACI Europe for not adequately addressing key challenges in the aviation industry. The 147-page ‘More than a Market’ report, presented by Enrico Letta, touches on air and rail travel but falls short in discussing decarbonisation efforts, sustainable aviation fuels, zero-emission aircraft technology, energy transition policies, and financing aviation’s green transition according to ACI Europe director general Olivier Jankovec.
Jankovec emphasized the importance of addressing these issues to maintain the socio-economic benefits of aviation and cohesion. He expressed disappointment in the report’s failure to tackle capacity constraints, competitive airport slot management, and its apparent pro-rail bias. He called for recognition of the relevance and complementarity of both air transport and rail transport in the next political cycle.
ACI Europe’s Q1 2024 air traffic report shows a 10.2% increase in European passenger traffic compared to the same quarter last year, just shy of pre-pandemic levels. International travel saw a significant rise in March, driving overall passenger traffic growth. London Heathrow remains Europe’s busiest airport, followed by Istanbul, Paris CDG, Madrid, and Amsterdam Schiphol.
