Belgocontrol statistics: February 2014 movements

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In February 2014 Belgocontrol managed a total of 69,924 movements, representing a 2.9% increase (+1,965 movements) compared to the same month of last year (67,959 movements). Although overall traffic volume controlled by Belgocontrol is on the rise, figures are distributed unevenly: the regional airports statistics soared (+15.95%) whereas they dropped slightly at Brussels National Airport (-1.68%) and at the CANAC 2 traffic control centre (-1.16%).

The downward traffic trend at Brussels National Airport and CANAC 2 is mainly caused by this year’s calendar vicissitudes: spring holiday, during which Belgocontrol always processes a high traffic load, fell in March this year. In spite of the many departures on Friday 28 February, the major portion of traffic generated by these holidays will only enter in our March statistics, as opposed to February in 2013. Moreover, the decline is essentially situated in the passenger traffic segment, as cargo traffic thrived. So air traffic is still on the mend for the moment, even though we are still far off the February 2008 traffic volume (-23.6%), before the outbreak of the international financial crisis. Nevertheless, we recorded an upward traffic trend in Europe (40 EUROCONTROL member States) as overall traffic increased by 2.2% in February 2014 compared to February 2013.

Brussels National Airport
In February 2014 Brussels National Airport registered 15,113 movements, which represents a 1.68% decrease in comparison with February 2013. This decline in the February 2014 traffic figures was mainly due to the fact that this year’s spring holiday fell in March. The arrival of the low-cost airline Ryanair at our national airport tarmac on 27 February did not yet have any impact on traffic volumes.

Logically, it is passenger and mixed traffic (passenger and cargo), which represents 86% of total traffic at the airport, that is affected by this decrease (-2.02%) while cargo traffic continues its steady climb upward and increases by 7.98% compared to February 2013.

In Europe, 5 out of the top 10 airports in the zone grouping the 40 EUROCONTROL member States registered a decrease in their traffic statistics in February 2014. In the European top 20, we find 9 FABEC airports among which Brussels National Airport, ranking 17th based on the number of departures. Average traffic levels at these 9 airports dipped slightly into the red in February 2014 compared to February 2013 (-0.9%).

Air traffic controlled by CANAC 2
The CANAC 2 centre manages all movements in the controlled civil airspace above Belgium, from ground level to flight level 245 and above the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, between flight levels 145/165 (since 10 March 2011) and 245.

CANAC 2 controlled 35,618 movements in February 2014, or a 1.16% decrease in comparison with February 2013 (36.035).

In February 2014, the average number of movements at the 14 FABEC control centres is up 1.47% compared to February 2013.

The regional airports
In February 2014 the four regional airports altogether recorded a total of 19,193 movements. Compared to the 16,553 movements in February 2013, this means a 15.95% increase.

IFR traffic (commercial aviation) boasts a marked increase (+11.23%, 9,888 movements) in February 2014. The strongest rises in IFR traffic however were recorded at Liege and Ostend, where the main focus lies on traffic cargo, respectively by 24.72% (3,274 movements) and 28.39% (1,411 movements). Unfortunately, because the spring holiday fell in March this year, the airports with a broad customer base in passenger traffic, like Charleroi (+2.01%, 3,967 movements) made very little progress and even lost ground, such as Antwerp (-3.21%, 1,236 movements).

As regards VFR traffic, all airports flourished: figures at Liege shot up by an impressive 64.18% (+1,852 movements), followed by Charleroi (+20.66% or 2,809 movements), Ostend (+14.24% or 2,246 movements) and Antwerp (+7.01% or 2,398 movements).

Considering the total number of movements (IFR + VFR), Charleroi remains the regional airport that generates the most activity (6,776 movements or +8.99%), followed by Liege (5,126 movements or +36.58%), Ostend (3,657 movements or +19.31%) and Antwerp (3,634 movements or +3.30%).

Belgocontrol 15 April 2014