According to Eurocontrol, the first three months of 2012 saw a total of 2.12 million flights in Europe. With these figures, the Eurocontrol forecast is the decrease of the European flights. On the other hand, MEPs also questioned in a debate the Commission's recent proposals to address increasing air traffic congestion around and in Europe's main airports.

Eurocontrol, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, reported that European flights expected to decline by 1.3% in 2012. Jacques Dopagne, Director Network Management at Eurocontrol highlighted that the decrease is bigger than the 1.3% decline forecast by the European agency for 2012 as a whole. 2.12 million flights were registered the first three months of 2012 in Europe.

In May 2011, a new study published by the European Commission, stressed that more than €5 billion in economic benefits could be gained by reviewing European rules on allocating slots for landing and takeoff at the European Union's busiest airports by 2025. In addition to these figures, the Transport and Tourism Committee in the European Parliament held a hearing last 8 of May, to discuss with independent experts, representatives of airlines, airports, national aviation authorities and citizens' NGOs, the Commission's legislative proposals for more competitive ground-handling services, better usage of take-off and landing slots and a harmonised approach to reduce noise nuisance around airports.

Among the conclusions, the Commission's recent proposals raised serious concerns within the industry and amongst MEPs, despite the clear need to address increasing air traffic congestion around and in Europe's main airports. Furthermore, the hearing delivered little evidence to MEPs that the Commission plan to impose a choice of 3 rather than 2 ground-handling service providers in airports with more than 5 million passengers per year would translate into better baggage and ground-handling services for customers.