Busy ski season adds to post-pandemic aviation recovery

Innsbruck is one of the destinations proving popular this season
Innsbruck is one of the destinations proving popular this season

A busy winter ski season has seen flights to many destinations reach or even exceed pre-pandemic passenger levels from 2019.

According to data from aviation analytics firm, Cirium overall, departures from UK airports will hit 81% of 2019 levels but some individual destinations exceed the same period in 2019 by as much as 37%.

For Ski routes, some of the past popular destinations such as Geneva, which is the main gateway for Ski resorts in Switzerland, are still down 6% on pre-pandemic levels whilst Austria’s Innsbruck and Salzburg will see 8% and 11% more flights respectively.

Tui Airways UK Boeing 737-800
Tui is one of many UK airlines experiencing a busy winter season.

Chambery has also proved popular with 18% more arrivals from the UK than in 2019 continuing the rising popularity of the french resort which gives quick and easy access to the French Alps.

Northern Italy has also proved popular with UK tourists with the number of flights to Bergamo up 37% compared to the same period in 2019 and Milan Malpensa seeing almost 7% more flights.

Elsewhere in Italy, Turin and Verona are also expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels, with 11% and 7% more UK arrivals respectively.

Overall the winter season is showing a continued positive recovery following the Coronavirus pandemic and the demand for air travel has returned, and in many cases, exceeds the pre-pandemic demand allaying many of the fears airlines were facing as we come out of one of the most disruptive periods for the industry in modern times.

About Nick Harding 2049 Articles
Nick is the senior reporter and editor at UK Aviation News as well as working freelance elsewhere. He has his finger firmly on the pulse on Aviation, not only in the UK but worldwide. Nick has been asked to speak in a professional capacity on LBC, Heart and other broadcast networks.