Euroepan air navigation service providers will be handling almost 11.5 million aircraft movements per annum within seven years, according to the latest medium-term outlook from EUROCONTROL. IFR flight movements are expected to grow at an average rate of 2.8% over the 2011 to 2017, just slightly lower than the February forecast released by EUROCONTROL, thanks to Western Europe’s economic weakness.

The traffic forecast has also been revised to take into account weakness in North African traffic, which is expected to cut about 1% off European air traffic in 2011. IFR movements are still forecast to increase by around 4.5%, largely as a result of the one-off events in 2010 which cut traffic levels. Underlying growth in 2011 is estimated to be around 2.5%, indicating a “gradual recovery” from the 2009 low point. Summer schedule underlying growth was a weak 1-2%.