Air Passenger Transport Development in Central and Eastern Europe (2010–2024): A Comparative Analysis of Economic, Tourism, Migration and Connectivity Patterns

This study examines air passenger transport development across twelve Central, Eastern and South-Eastern European countries over 2010–2024, focusing on the relationship between passenger traffic and economic, tourism, migration-related and airport connectivity indicators. The analysis combines GDP and GDP per capita with aviation and structural indicators, using publicly available data from international statistical and sectoral sources. A comparative analytical framework combines longitudinal analysis with cross-country benchmarking based on common indicators, while considering COVID-19 disruption and subsequent recovery trajectories. The findings indicate that GDP and GDP per capita are associated with passenger transport performance, but do not fully explain differences across national aviation markets. The comparative assessment identifies distinct air passenger transport development patterns associated with combinations of tourism intensity, migration-related mobility, economic scale and airport connectivity. Tourism-associated patterns are evident in countries with strong international tourism demand, while migration-associated patterns are more prominent in countries with substantial labour mobility and diaspora links. Economy-associated patterns are more evident in larger national markets, whereas connectivity-associated characteristics contribute to distinct development trajectories in smaller aviation markets. The study provides an exploratory comparative perspective on heterogeneous air passenger transport development and highlights the value of country-level benchmarking for interpreting differences in national aviation trajectories.