Collecting and Verifying: Reliability at the Heart of the ATD Service

While the activities of France Aviation Civile Services are mainly international in scope, those of our Air Transport Data (ATD) service are generally carried out from our offices in south-west France. Our mission is to collect, archive and preserve data relating to air transport. This information includes, in particular, activity results for airlines, airports and manufacturers, as well as fleet data and the financial performance of major airlines around the world.

To guarantee the reliability of the statistics we collect, the work of our database managers goes far beyond simply copying figures published in a report or on a website. Each data point is subject to a process of verification and cross-checking using several direct or official sources, to ensure that the statistics provided to our clients are as close as possible to reality.

These sources vary depending on the countries and areas studied. Some national civil aviation authorities publish their statistics directly on their websites, in the form of reports, databases or interactive dashboards. Other organisations share their information through official publications or specialised platforms, while some less well-covered regions require us, for example, to keep an eye on the local or international press.

Indeed, not all regions of the world offer the same level of transparency or data availability. Some areas remain poorly documented, creating gaps in the overall analysis of the air transport market. To ensure data reliability, our service also relies on publications from international organisations such as ACI, IATA, ICAO and Eurocontrol. In addition, we conduct a dedicated annual survey of airports worldwide and, for less well-documented areas, draw on press publications or related sectors such as tourism.

One of the strengths of our activity lies in the direct contact we maintain with airport departments, aviation authorities and airport operators. This close relationship enables us to obtain data directly from the source, limit the risk of errors and ensure that our clients have access to reliable and up-to-date statistics.

Our next annual survey, which will present the results of around 3,000 airports worldwide, will be published in July 2026.

For any questions or requests for information, please do not hesitate to contact us at: atd@fracs.aero.