Passenger traffic increased across European airports by 158 per cent in January compared to January 2021.

Despite the increase in volumes figures remained down 46 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels according to airport trade organisation ACI Europe.

Figures were also 39 per cent down on December 2021 levels with the Omicron variant slowing recovery.

Olivier Jankovec, director general of ACI Europe, said: "January saw the recovery going into reverse mode, due to the attempts of many European countries to contain Omicron through a combination of local measures and largely inefficient travel restrictions.

"The positive thing is that we are now out of these dynamics. Travel regimes are finally aligning, allowing fully vaccinated people to freely travel again both within and outside Europe, and local restrictions are also being eased across the continent. But just as prospects were finally brightening, the atrocious invasion of Ukraine by Russia is now casting the longest of shadows."

The declines in passenger traffic were mostly driven by the?EU market, where passenger traffic went from being down 44 per cent in December to?a decline of 51 per cent?in January (versus 2019). In the rest of Europe, passenger traffic only declined by a few percentage points between December and January.

The passenger traffic performance of?Europe¡¯s top five airports also decreased further in January, going from a 42 per cent drop in December to a 49 per cent drop in the first month of 2022.

Istanbul (-34 per cent) took the top slot for the busiest airport in January followed by Paris-CDG, Madrid-Barajas and London-Heathrow. Amsterdam-Schiphol was beaten by Moscow-Sheremetyevo to the fifth place.