Air passenger traffic in the EU28 (expressed in billion passenger-kilometres) 1996-2012

The air transport sector has been subject to particular focus in recent years. Before the creation of the single market for air passenger services, the European airline sector was fragmented into distinct domestic markets, usually dominated by one state-owned national airline. Successive EU reform packages liberated the airline sector, by allowing any European airline to operate any service, in and out of any European airport. The sector contributes about €365 billion (2.4%) to European GDP, and employs around 5.1 million people. Air passenger traffic in the EU28 reached a record total of 577 billion passenger-kilometres in 2012 (see figure 1) and this trend is expected to continue.