Throughout the pandemic, so-called “ghost planes” invaded Europe’s skies and news, causing great controversy. Analysis of a British newspaper Guardian More than 5,000 of them have visited the UK alone in the last three years.
This means that these flights took off completely empty to “fulfil their schedule”, according to airline rules Places Companies from Europe are asking for a high percentage of flights to be scheduled, otherwise, they will lose their take-off and landing rights. At the beginning of the epidemic, this percentage was 80%.
Apart from these, another 35,000 commercial flights have operated almost empty since 2019, with less than 10% of seats occupied, according to a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data analysis. This makes a total of 40,000 “ghost planes”.
In one quarter during the pandemic, for example, 62 empty flights left Luton Airport for Poland, while in another, Heathrow Airport saw 663 empty flights.
Based on the dispute, the percentages required by the rule Places Revised and completed, but they still make “ghost planes” all over Europe. However, the Old Continent’s total has not yet been released, but it could easily put the number in the hundreds of thousands.
Henry Blackwell is a contributor at Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a wide range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. He focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and useful information that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. His work highlights stories that matter to everyday audiences, with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and accessible journalism.