European airports have undergone a major business transformation over the years– from infrastructure providers to businesses in their own right, competing for business and traffic in a liberalised European market. Today, 80% of European airport operators are corporatised businesses – with growing participation from the private sector. The maturity of the aviation market means that airports should be allowed to set landing charges and passenger services charges at an efficient level. This means reflecting the full cost of providing aeronautical services at the airport, allowing for pricing flexibility that maximises overall societal outcomes. The challenges of financing long-term and sustainable airport infrastructure projects have increased substantially, but public funding has become more limited due to increased budgetary constraints at national and EU levels. European airports are one of the most important economic actors in the region they serve and play a central role in providing connectivity within the EU and worldwide. European airports strive to provide this connectivity in a way that facilitates long-term sustainable and inclusive growth.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis there is a lot of uncertainty about the recovery pace in the aviation sector globally. To bring some tangible insight into the future, ACI EUROPE draws on its body of experts to deliver detailed economic forecasts. For overview of the data pulled in this meticulous process, navigate to the Economic Forecasts page.