The aviation sector has been one of the economic activities most affected by the impact of covid-19 and one that is still subject to certain instability due to the appearance of the omicron variant, as a result of the limitations on passenger traffic set by countries around the world. However, Barcelona Airport presents good recovery prospects for the summer of 2022 and has closed 2021 with a certain return to normality. These conclusions are drawn from the latest report by the Observatori de Trànsit Aeri de Barcelona, a publication specializing in air traffic from the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce.
According to the Observatori, Barcelona Airport has recovered 91% of the destinations that airlines operated from the infrastructure in 2019, despite having 14% fewer airlines than before the outbreak of the pandemic and 58% fewer frequencies and operations. Likewise, the offer has been concentrated, increasing by 53% the routes operated by a single operator.
This circumstance, according to the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce ---a member of the Air Route Development Committee--- draws a "complicated scenario" due to the lack of supply and competition, which could translate into an increase in ticket prices for passengers.
Regarding the number of travelers who passed through the airport last year, the figures are still not comparable to those of 2019. The report determines that the facilities closed 2021 with 18,874,896 accumulated passengers, something that represents an increase of 48% compared to 2020, but is still 64% lower than the traffic recorded in 2019. It does show that the resumption of activity is progressive, since in the second half of 2021 the difference with 2019 was only 45%, while in the first six months of the year the average number of passengers fell by 85%.
The report determines that the facilities have closed 2021 with 18,874,896 accumulated passengersThe least affected market continues to be the domestic one, which maintains intact the 30 destinations it offered in 2019, while the most affected was the intercontinental, with a 26% reduction in the number of destinations.
Referring to Eurocontrol data ---the European organization for the safety of air navigation---, the Observatori report states that, in terms of traffic, the recovery of 2019 levels will not be registered until 2024, in the most positive scenario. If health uncertainty and limitations persist, the return to pre-pandemic normality would not occur until 2027. According to Eurocontrol, European airports will operate between 70% and 90% of the air traffic they had in 2019 by the end of this year.
In Barcelona, for the upcoming summer season, and as announced on sales channels, a recovery of different markets is expected. Among them are the United States ---Los Angeles, Boston, and San Francisco (Level) and Philadelphia (American Airlines)---, Canada ---Toronto and Montreal (Air Canada)---, and Asia ---Seoul (Asiana and Korean Air)---.
Vueling, Ryanair, and Easyjet
The Observatori also analyzes the behavior of the main airlines at Barcelona Airport, such as Vueling, Ryanair, and Easyjet. In this regard, Vueling has reduced the number of destinations by 10%, from 118 in 2019 to 106 in 2021, but with a seat offer that is 51% lower. Specifically, it has concentrated on the domestic market, where it has maintained its 26 destinations, with 37% less capacity.
For its part, Ryanair increased the number of destinations by 38%, going from 55 routes in 2019 to 76 in 2021, but also reducing total capacity by 51%. Likewise, Easyjet fell from third to fifth place among companies with the most travelers and focused all connections internationally, where it increased one route compared to 2019, reaching 18 currently, but reducing capacity by 81%.