Italy is the leader in the recovery of air traffic in Europe
The nineteenth edition of the FactBook 2025, the annual analysis by ICCSAI - Transport and Sustainable Mobility of the University of Bergamo, was presented at the Congress Center of the Karol Wojtyla International Airport in Bari. The study, an authoritative reference in the European panorama, offers a detailed snapshot of the state of air transport, with a focus on demand, routes, fares, regulation and performance of airlines and airports.
The recovery of passenger traffic
According to the report, 2024 marked the full recovery of pre-Covid passenger traffic volumes for Europe, but with strong disparities between countries. The Mediterranean area (Italy, Spain, Portugal) recorded sustained growth, thanks to the boost of tourism. On the other hand, the recovery in Germany, France and the Netherlands was slower, penalized by weak domestic markets and the effects of geopolitical tensions on continental hubs.
Declining competitiveness and connectivity
The Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to penalize the global connectivity of European airports, especially in direct connections with Asia. The share of connected traffic is decreasing, leaving room for the emerging airports of the Middle East and Istanbul, which is increasingly central to the intercontinental landscape. The intra-European network is also affected by reductions in frequencies and connections in medium airports, limiting the possibility of same-day travel.
Ryanair remains the leader, ITA Airways accelerates
In the panorama of carriers, Ryanair confirmed its leadership in Europe with an increase of 8.5%, albeit down compared to the past due to delays in aircraft deliveries. The real surprise is ITA Airways, which in 2024 recorded the highest growth among traditional airlines (+21.3%), although it has not yet reached Alitalia's 2019 traffic levels. The market share of low-cost airlines is slightly reduced, but remains dominant in 18 of the 20 main Italian airports.
Cargo: Italy above the EU average
After two years of decline, freight transport is also growing again. In Italy, the recovery is more marked than the European average, driven above all by Rome Fiumicino and Venice, thanks to the recovery of intercontinental traffic. However, the forecasts for 2025 remain uncertain, conditioned by the economic context and the new US tariffs.
Looking to the future
In his speech, Stefano Paleari, founder of ICCSAI, outlined a long-term vision: "Air traffic will grow from 220 million passengers in 2024 to over 300 million in 2035", emphasizing the importance of integrated and innovative airport systems to support this expansion.
Antonio Maria Vasile, President of Aeroporti di Puglia, highlighted that the airports of Bari and Brindisi show the highest growth nationally, both in the first four months of 2025 and in the post-Covid period and believes that the airports of the future will have to develop intermodality with an approach that favors sustainability and innovation with a strong impact on the 'passenger experience'. Apulian airports have gone from over 6 million passengers in 2015 to 10 million in 2024. And in the first 5 months of 2025, 4 million passengers have already been registered.
Hosted and supported by Aeroporti di Puglia, the event was attended by the highest institutions in the sector. After the speeches of professors Renato Redondi and Stefano Paleari, the discussion was divided into a round table moderated by Mara Monti (Il Sole 24 Ore), with prominent guests such as Pierluigi Di Palma (ENAC), Valentina Lener (Airports 2030), Carlo Borgomeo (Assaeroporti), Oliver Jankovec (ACI Europe), Antonio Maria Vasile (Airports of Puglia) and Amelia Corti (SACBO). Also present were Debora Cilienti, Regional Councillor for Transport of Puglia, and in connection, Nicola Zaccheo, President of the Transport Regulation Authority.
