Freight volumes grew by 2.3 per cent in July with European Union (EU) airports making up for declines at non-EU hubs, Airports Council International (ACI) Europe says.

The association says that freight traffic across all European airports were up 2.3 per cent, with EU hubs registering growth of 1.3 per cent while non-EU airports were down 7.3 per cent. ACI Europe says this mirrors the trend seen in passenger traffic, where the continent saw growth driven by EU hubs performing strongly while non-EU airports struggled.

ACI Europe director general, Olivier Jankovec says: “Here we are again in a two-speed market – but the other way around this time. While air traffic growth after the global financial crisis was down to non-EU airports, the EU market is now the one in growth mode.”

Among Europe’s top airports, Frankfurt Airport grew 1.4 per cent in July to 170,674 tonnes and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport was down one per cent to 157,537 tonnes. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol was the top performer with 4.4 per cent growth to 139,650 tonnes and London’s Heathrow Airport grew by 2.6 per cent to 124,451 tonnes.

Outside the EU, Turkey saw mixed results, with Istanbul Ataturk Airport falling 19.5 per cent to 51,556 tonnes though the city’s other airport, Sabiha Gokcen International Airport grew 11.7 per cent to 4,757 tonnes. Elsewhere in Turkey, Antalya was down 16.5 per cent to 636 tonnes and Izmir fell 50 per cent to 1,086 tonnes.