Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
5, Rue Alphonse Weicker, L-2920 Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
16 July 2020
2.2. Metadata last posted
4 December 2020
2.3. Metadata last update
19 September 2025
3.1. Data description
The European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL) is a pan-European, civil-military organisation dedicated to supporting European aviation.
More information on EUROCONTROL can be found under the following link Eurocontrol website.
The data disseminated by Eurostat is narrowed down to scheduled and non-scheduled commercial air flights (passengers, freight and mail) carried out under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).
The data do not cover the following:
Military traffic (neither Operational Air Traffic ‘OAT’ nor General Air Traffic ‘GAT’)
‘Head of State’ and other sensitive flights
Flights marked with ICAO flight types ‘General Aviation’ and ‘Other’
Circular flights
The total number of flights has been calculated applying double counting exclusion at country level (for domestic traffic) and EU level (for intra-EU traffic).
Data are disseminated in two Eurostat database tables:
Airport traffic data by reporting country – monthly data (source: EUROCONTROL) (avia_tf_cm).
Airport traffic data by reporting airport – monthly data (source: EUROCONTROL) (avia_tf_airpm).
3.2. Classification system
The number of flights is aggregated at airport level.
.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Commercial air transport
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
Commercial type of operation follows the ICAO definition for ‘Commercial air transport’ – an aircraft operation involving the transport of passengers, cargo or mail for remuneration or hire. It includes scheduled air services (ICAO code ‘S’), non-scheduled revenue operations (code ‘N’), specific/exceptional non-revenue operations, other and unknown.
An air transport flight or series of flights for the public transport of passengers and/or freight and mail, for remuneration or for hire. Commercial operations maybe scheduled or non-scheduled.
Scheduled air service: a commercial air service operated according to a published timetable or with such a regular frequency that it constitutes an easily recognisable systematic series of flights that are open to direct booking by members of the public.
Non-scheduled air service: a commercial air service other than scheduled air services. This includes charter flights and other special flights performed for remuneration such as air taxi, offshore flights or sightseeing.
Charter flight: a non-scheduled operation using a chartered aircraft.
Air taxi: On-demand, non-scheduled flights at short notice, for the carriage by air of passengers, freight or mail or any combination thereof, for remuneration usually performed with smaller aircraft (max. 30 seats or max. 3 400 kg of payload capacity). Includes an on-demand flight for the specific carriage of sick or injured persons (air ambulance).
Offshore: A flight carrying passengers or freight or a combination thereof, for remuneration to and from an offshore installation.
Sightseeing: A flight carrying passengers by air for remuneration that returns to the departure point.
Instrument Flight Rules (IFR): a set of regulations under which a pilot operates under conditions in which flying by outside visual reference is not safe, or flying by reference to instruments in the flight deck and navigation is accomplished by reference to electronic signals. Aircraft must be equipped with suitable instruments and with navigation equipment appropriate for the route to be flown.
An aircraft: any machine that can derive support in the atmosphere from the reactions of the air, other than the reactions of air against the earth’s surface dirigibles and surface effect. Vehicles such as hovercraft are excluded.
Flight: the operation of an aircraft on one or more flight stages, using a single flight number, assigned by the airline.
Owing to technical and operational reasons, the number of flights computed from EUROCONTROL data is actually the number of flight stages (sometimes also referred to as ‘flight legs’).
The total number of flights performed by an aircraft, irrespective of where the flight took place. Only those flight cancellations for which at least one flight plan was filed are known to EUROCONTROL.
3.5. Statistical unit
Flight
3.6. Statistical population
Flights departing from/landing in the EUROCONTROL Network Manager area for which at least one flight plan has been filed with EUROCONTROL, narrowed down to commercial IFR flights only. Only flights whose completion has been confirmed by ATC (Air Traffic Control) messages or radar data are reflected.
3.7. Reference area
The geographical coverage is the Eurocontrol Network Manager area. From 42 memeber states that report the traffic to Eurocontrol, Eurostat currently disseminates the data for the following countries:EU Member States, IS, NO, CH, UK, BA, ME, MK, AL, RS, TR.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Monthly data starting from January 2019 onwards.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Number of flights.
Monthly data, first reference period: January 2019.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Not applicable.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Agreement signed between EUROCONTROL and Eurostat – June 2020.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Data provided to Eurostat by EUROCONTROL are not subject to confidentiality.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
No additional data treatment due to confidentiality.
8.1. Release calendar
The dissemination tables are updated on a monthly basis.
8.2. Release calendar access
Not applicable.
8.3. Release policy - user access
Data is publicly available from the moment the dissemination tables are updated.
Every month.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
No News Release.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Not applicable.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Data are disseminated in two Eurostat database tables:
Airport traffic data by reporting country – monthly data (source: EUROCONTROL) (avia_tf_cm)
Airport traffic data by reporting airport – monthly data (source: EUROCONTROL) (avia_tf_airpm)
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Not applicable.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Not applicable.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Not available.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Not available.
11.1. Quality assurance
Not applicable.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Not applicable.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Monthly traffic data derived from EUROCONTROL at airport level is released at the end of each month. Therefore these may serve as preliminary information on air traffic, before data coming from the regulatory data collection (Regulation 437/2003) are available.
There are some methodological differences between the two data collections – EUROCONTROL’s and Eurostat’s – that might result in discrepancies.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available.
12.3. Completeness
The data provided by EUROCONTROL are final and complete.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Not applicable.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
The data are provided to Eurostat by EUROCONTROL five days after the end of each reporting period (month). The data dissemination in the Eurobase tables takes no later than by the 10th day of each month.
14.2. Punctuality
No delays in data provisions are foreseen.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Full compatibility between reporting and geographical areas.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Data comparable between reporting periods (months).
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
The data are, to a high extent, consistent with the data collected with the Regulation 437/2003. The discrepancies are mainly caused by certain differences in the definitions applied and exclusion of certain flight types. See point 3 for more information.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Not applicable
Available administrative data are used. No burden for reporting countries.
Once data are disseminated for a time period, they are rarely corrected or otherwise revised. The only case when revision may occur is when an airport’s individual traffic data (so far included under the category ‘Other’) start being disseminated. In such cases, the time series data for the airport are being disseminated and, as a consequence, data for the category other are recalculated (in order to exclude the data for the airport).
This practice is not considered as error correction.
Data are collected daily, aggregated monthly, and then provided to Eurostat.
18.3. Data collection
Information not available.
18.4. Data validation
Information not available.
18.5. Data compilation
Data are aggregated monthly; circular flights, as well as sensitive data are excluded (‘Head of State’ and military flights, airline information).
Before dissemination via the Eurobase tables, Eurostat compiles information at airport level – detailed information (number of flights aggregated: arrivals + departures) is disseminated. Only airports that report to Eurostat according Regulation 437/2003 (reported at least once) are shown in the dissemination table avia_tf_airpm. The other airports that report commercial traffic to EUROCONTROL but are below the reporting threshold of 15 000 passenger units per year (provision of Regulation 437/2003) are aggregated under the country aggregate (country code_OTH).
The total number of flights presented in Commercial air flights data by reporting country monthly data (source: EUROCONTROL) (avia_tf_cm) is calculated by applying double counting exclusion at country level (for domestic traffic) and EU level (for intra-EU traffic).
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable.
Not applicable
The European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL) is a pan-European, civil-military organisation dedicated to supporting European aviation.
More information on EUROCONTROL can be found under the following link Eurocontrol website.
The data disseminated by Eurostat is narrowed down to scheduled and non-scheduled commercial air flights (passengers, freight and mail) carried out under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).
The data do not cover the following:
Military traffic (neither Operational Air Traffic ‘OAT’ nor General Air Traffic ‘GAT’)
‘Head of State’ and other sensitive flights
Flights marked with ICAO flight types ‘General Aviation’ and ‘Other’
Circular flights
The total number of flights has been calculated applying double counting exclusion at country level (for domestic traffic) and EU level (for intra-EU traffic).
Data are disseminated in two Eurostat database tables:
Airport traffic data by reporting country – monthly data (source: EUROCONTROL) (avia_tf_cm).
Airport traffic data by reporting airport – monthly data (source: EUROCONTROL) (avia_tf_airpm).
19 September 2025
Commercial type of operation follows the ICAO definition for ‘Commercial air transport’ – an aircraft operation involving the transport of passengers, cargo or mail for remuneration or hire. It includes scheduled air services (ICAO code ‘S’), non-scheduled revenue operations (code ‘N’), specific/exceptional non-revenue operations, other and unknown.
An air transport flight or series of flights for the public transport of passengers and/or freight and mail, for remuneration or for hire. Commercial operations maybe scheduled or non-scheduled.
Scheduled air service: a commercial air service operated according to a published timetable or with such a regular frequency that it constitutes an easily recognisable systematic series of flights that are open to direct booking by members of the public.
Non-scheduled air service: a commercial air service other than scheduled air services. This includes charter flights and other special flights performed for remuneration such as air taxi, offshore flights or sightseeing.
Charter flight: a non-scheduled operation using a chartered aircraft.
Air taxi: On-demand, non-scheduled flights at short notice, for the carriage by air of passengers, freight or mail or any combination thereof, for remuneration usually performed with smaller aircraft (max. 30 seats or max. 3 400 kg of payload capacity). Includes an on-demand flight for the specific carriage of sick or injured persons (air ambulance).
Offshore: A flight carrying passengers or freight or a combination thereof, for remuneration to and from an offshore installation.
Sightseeing: A flight carrying passengers by air for remuneration that returns to the departure point.
Instrument Flight Rules (IFR): a set of regulations under which a pilot operates under conditions in which flying by outside visual reference is not safe, or flying by reference to instruments in the flight deck and navigation is accomplished by reference to electronic signals. Aircraft must be equipped with suitable instruments and with navigation equipment appropriate for the route to be flown.
An aircraft: any machine that can derive support in the atmosphere from the reactions of the air, other than the reactions of air against the earth’s surface dirigibles and surface effect. Vehicles such as hovercraft are excluded.
Flight: the operation of an aircraft on one or more flight stages, using a single flight number, assigned by the airline.
Owing to technical and operational reasons, the number of flights computed from EUROCONTROL data is actually the number of flight stages (sometimes also referred to as ‘flight legs’).
The total number of flights performed by an aircraft, irrespective of where the flight took place. Only those flight cancellations for which at least one flight plan was filed are known to EUROCONTROL.
Flight
Flights departing from/landing in the EUROCONTROL Network Manager area for which at least one flight plan has been filed with EUROCONTROL, narrowed down to commercial IFR flights only. Only flights whose completion has been confirmed by ATC (Air Traffic Control) messages or radar data are reflected.
The geographical coverage is the Eurocontrol Network Manager area. From 42 memeber states that report the traffic to Eurocontrol, Eurostat currently disseminates the data for the following countries:EU Member States, IS, NO, CH, UK, BA, ME, MK, AL, RS, TR.
Monthly data, first reference period: January 2019.
Not applicable.
Number of flights.
Data are aggregated monthly; circular flights, as well as sensitive data are excluded (‘Head of State’ and military flights, airline information).
Before dissemination via the Eurobase tables, Eurostat compiles information at airport level – detailed information (number of flights aggregated: arrivals + departures) is disseminated. Only airports that report to Eurostat according Regulation 437/2003 (reported at least once) are shown in the dissemination table avia_tf_airpm. The other airports that report commercial traffic to EUROCONTROL but are below the reporting threshold of 15 000 passenger units per year (provision of Regulation 437/2003) are aggregated under the country aggregate (country code_OTH).
The total number of flights presented in Commercial air flights data by reporting country monthly data (source: EUROCONTROL) (avia_tf_cm) is calculated by applying double counting exclusion at country level (for domestic traffic) and EU level (for intra-EU traffic).
The data are provided to Eurostat by EUROCONTROL five days after the end of each reporting period (month). The data dissemination in the Eurobase tables takes no later than by the 10th day of each month.
Full compatibility between reporting and geographical areas.
Data comparable between reporting periods (months).
