Most thin European routes served by a single airline, industry body says
The European Regions Airline Association says four out of five intra-European routes with low demand are operated by just one carrier, leaving regions without a direct alternative if service ends.
A thin route is a connection with comparatively weak demand, and nearly one in two intra-European short-haul routes qualifies, according to the European Regions Airline Association. Its Annual Pulse 2026 report puts 42 percent of these routes below 50,000 seats a year. They account for only six percent of capacity offered.
On four of every five thin routes, only a single airline flies. For the regions concerned, that often leaves no direct alternative if a link is dropped. The association says a quarter of intra-European capacity is concentrated on just five percent of routes.
Flight offerings are also shifting. Over the past 20 years airlines have raised the number of seats per flight while cutting frequencies on individual routes. Among the association's member carriers, one departure offers an average of 90 seats.
The association represents 58 regional airlines and more than 150 other companies in European aviation. It points to the role of regional carriers in connecting smaller cities, islands and regions to the European air network.
Sources
- aerotelegraph.comVier von fünf dünnen Europa-Strecken haben nur eine Airline