In German airspace, the number of domestic flights last year fell more than almost anywhere else in the EU. In German airspace, 38 percent fewer domestic flights were registered than in the pre-Corona year 2019, as reported by the air traffic control organization Eurocontrol.

Similar decreases were registered only in Lithuania (-38 percent) and Finland (-35 percent). In Hungary, on the other hand, the number of domestic flights increased by 56 percent in the same period. Because of the Russian war of aggression, the number of domestic flights in Ukraine fell by 87 percent.

Eurocontrol attributes the development to domestic flight bans in France and Austria and to greater environmental awareness among customers. Some countries such as Germany, Spain and Austria have also made train tickets cheaper. In Germany, many customers switched to fast rail connections.

Hardly any changes in the coming years?

In its new forecast, Eurocontrol basically expects flight movements to return to the pre-crisis level in 2025. The forecasts for the current and next year have been raised slightly due to the heavy tourist traffic in southern Europe. According to the air traffic controllers, both stagnation and annual growth of up to 4 percent are possible from 2025 onwards. In 2029, between 96 and 116 percent of the flight movements from 2019 are likely.