Ryanair, easyJet and Air Berlin handled over 139 million passengers in 2009 between them, a 7.7% year-on-year increase, despite 2009 being one of the most challenging years ever for the European aviation industry. The combined figure of the three LCCs is a massive 80% increase from 2005 levels. It is not surprising IATA is talking of a “structural change” in European aviation. All the growth is being gobbled up by LCCs and they continue to steal passengers, including high yielding business travellers, away from the traditional airlines. The growth of the three major European LCCs is even more impressive considering the situation facing Europe's network carriers.