APAC-Europe Air Traffic Surges Beyond Pre-COVID Levels
Air traffic between the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region and Europe demonstrated remarkable resilience in 2024, overcoming both geopolitical tensions and lingering pandemic setbacks to exceed pre-COVID levels. Data from Eurocontrol shows that flights connecting the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) region to APAC grew by 21% compared to 2023, marking an 8% increase over 2019. ECAC, representing 44 European states in civil aviation matters, plays a key role in coordinating policies and connectivity across the region, driving this impressive recovery.
The recovery, however, was not uniform across all routes. Market dynamics were significantly influenced by China’s delayed reopening and the continued impact of restricted access to Russian airspace. Airlines that maintained operations over Russia experienced a 19% increase in flight volumes compared to 2019. In contrast, carriers forced to reroute due to closed airspace faced an 18% decline in traffic, resulting in an overall market share loss of 7%. This divergence in performance underscores the operational challenges faced by airlines navigating complex international airspace politics.
China emerged as the most significant driver of the recovery, accounting for 33% of the Europe-APAC traffic. In 2024, daily flights to and from China surged by 45% compared to the previous year, benefiting from the complete lifting of COVID-19 travel restrictions. Despite necessary route adjustments following the closures in Ukrainian and Russian airspace, China-Europe flights reached levels 4% above those seen in 2019. In addition to China, India played a crucial role in the recovery, with traffic increasing by 30% over 2019. Notably, the largest boost in Indian connectivity came from Azerbaijan, which saw a staggering 154% increase, while notable gains were also recorded with the United Kingdom, Germany, and France.
Kazakhstan emerged as another major player, overtaking traditional markets such as Japan, South Korea, and Thailand to become the third-largest Europe-APAC market. The closure of Russian airspace posed significant operational challenges, forcing airlines to opt for longer routes with higher fuel consumption. This scenario particularly affected carriers from Japan and South Korea, both of which chose to avoid Russian airspace despite the absence of formal bans. Consequently, Europe-Japan traffic remained 25% below 2019 levels, while Europe-South Korea traffic, although experiencing flat growth in 2024, nearly recovered to pre-pandemic figures.
Meanwhile, Turkey and Central Asia capitalized on the shifting dynamics. New bilateral agreements between Turkey and Central Asian nations, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, resulted in expanded flight connections. Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, gained prominence as a key refueling stop for cargo carriers, further enhancing the region’s connectivity. By the end of 2024, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia together accounted for 26% of ECAC-APAC traffic, an increase from 19% in 2019.
Despite a temporary slowdown in late 2023 due to conflicts in the Middle East, overall Europe-APAC air traffic finished the year ranking behind only the North Atlantic and North Africa flows in recovery. The APAC region as a whole saw an 11% growth in air traffic from 2023 and finished 10% above 2019 levels. More news and analysis from Routes Asia 2025 continue to shed light on this dynamic recovery, offering valuable insights for network planners and industry professionals alike.
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