European air connectivity saw minimal growth in 2025, with the number of routes across the continent, both internally and globally, increasing by just 1%.
According to data from IATA, this is below the compound annual growth of 1,5% over the last decade.
“The fact that the EU’s air connectivity virtually flatlined in 2025 is no surprise. The regulatory burden is onerous, costs are high, and the EU’s underlying competitiveness issues have not been seriously addressed. Consumer protections are a case in point. The flaws of the current regulation have been known but attempts to correct them appear to make them worse,” said Thomas Reynaert, IATA Senior Vice President External Relations.
In 2025, 1 127 routes across the EU were cancelled, while 1 281 routes were added (568 were routes operated in the last decade but were paused for at least one year).
To address the slow growth, IATA has outlined priority steps European policymakers should take including:
- Reform of EU261 passenger rights regulation, specifically increasing the time thresholds for compensation.
- Reduce the costs of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Introducing a book-and-claim process for SAF purchasing would enable airlines to buy SAF where it is most efficiently produced.
- Strengthen regulation of airport and air navigation charges to improve cost efficiency.
- Allow more flexibility for airport slot relief in periods of crisis.
- Eliminate national passenger taxes, following the example of Sweden.
