AEA: European Airlines to Launch 254 New Routes in Summer 2016, Greece Features Prominently on List

The members of the Association of European Airlines (AEA) will offer 3.8 percent more flights and 5.5 percent more seats in the upcoming summer season. In total 254 new routes will be launched. AEA brings together 24 major airlines and is the trusted voice of the European airline industry.

In an announcement on Tuesday, AEA said that Greece and the Greek Islands, Italy, Spain and Scotland feature prominently on the list of new routes being served in summer 2016.

“Thanks to the growth plans of the AEA members this summer, European consumers will enjoy an enlarged offer in terms of destinations and more seat capacity on existing routes”, says AEA’s CEO Athar Husain Khan.

During the upcoming summer season, beginning at the end of March until the end of October, AEA member airlines will offer 273,511 million seats. This is an increase of 5.5 percent over the same period in 2015. The number of flights scheduled to operate in this period will rise by 3.8 percent to 1.76 million.

“Not only do our airlines anticipate the current growth rhythm of the market, they will also bring more competition to that market, to the benefit of the consumer”, AEA’s CEO said.

The largest rate of expansion is on long haul routes, with a 6.7 percent increase in flights spread over 55 new intercontinental connections between Europe and overseas destinations.

In regards to Europe, no less than 200 new intra-European routes will be launched.

Many of the new routes being launched this summer in Europe are to non-hub destinations or even between regional airports. The trend to offer more seasonal routes to holiday destinations also continues in summer 2016.

Mr Khan added that the industry could “do much better for Europe” provided that its competitiveness improves.

“Taxes imposed on airlines in Europe are too high, growth is slowed by ground infrastructure and ATC restrictions, and regulation is often very burdensome,” he said.

“The new aviation policy discussion that will soon start in the European Parliament provides us with a unique momentum to check-in for the flight forward.”