Method for monitoring air flows required for handling a thread and/or fibre band in a spinning machine having a plurality of spinning positions, at least one air flow-generating source being associated with the spinning machine and being connected to an air flow duct in an air flow-communicating manner, the air flow duct having an air flow main duct, coupled to the source in an air flow-communicating manner, and a plurality of air flow branch ducts branching off from the air flow main duct, each branching off to a spinning position for supplying the air flow to the spinning positions' handling units (4; 5) for handling a thread or fibre band, and the spinning machine being allocated an evaluation device for evaluating measurement data and a detection unit for detecting productive and/or non-productive spinning positions and in particular for detecting productive and/or non-productive handling units (4; 5), the detection unit being connected to the evaluation device for data transmission, characterised in that an air volume flow measuring unit is provided which is arranged in the air flow main duct between the source and the air flow branch duct nearest to the source along the air flow path, the air volume flow measuring unit being connected to the evaluation device for data transmission, in a step 110 the air volume flow is measured by means of the air volume flow measuring unit and the measurement result is transmitted to the evaluation device, in a step 120 the number of productive and/or non-productive spinning positions is detected by means of the detection unit at the time of the air volume flow measurement and transmitted to the evaluation device, in a step 130 an air volume flow target value is determined depending on the number of productive and/or non-productive spinning positions detected at the time when the air volume flow is measured, the air volume flow target value corresponding to a total air volume flow requirement of the spinning positions which are productive at the time when the measurement is taken, in a step 140 the air volume flow target value is compared with the actual value of the measured air volume flow by means of the evaluation device, and in a step 150 the evaluation device carries out an evaluation on the basis of the comparison to assess whether there is an unacceptable deviation between the actual value and the air volume flow target value. at least one air flow-generating source being associated with the spinning machine and being connected to an air flow duct in an air flow-communicating manner, the air flow duct having an air flow main duct, coupled to the source in an air flow-communicating manner, and a plurality of air flow branch ducts branching off from the air flow main duct, each branching off to a spinning position for supplying the air flow to the spinning positions' handling units (4; 5) for handling a thread or fibre band, and the spinning machine being allocated an evaluation device for evaluating measurement data and a detection unit for detecting productive and/or non-productive spinning positions and in particular for detecting productive and/or non-productive handling units (4; 5), the detection unit being connected to the evaluation device for data transmission, characterised in that an air volume flow measuring unit is provided which is arranged in the air flow main duct between the source and the air flow branch duct nearest to the source along the air flow path, the air volume flow measuring unit being connected to the evaluation device for data transmission, in a step 110 the air volume flow is measured by means of the air volume flow measuring unit and the measurement result is transmitted to the evaluation device, in a step 120 the number of productive and/or non-productive spinning positions is detected by means of the detection unit at the time of the air volume flow measurement and transmitted to the evaluation device, in a step 130 an air volume flow target value is determined depending on the number of productive and/or non-productive spinning positions detected at the time when the air volume flow is measured, the air volume flow target value corresponding to a total air volume flow requirement of the spinning positions which are productive at the time when the measurement is taken, in a step 140 the air volume flow target value is compared with the actual value of the measured air volume flow by means of the evaluation device, and in a step 150 the evaluation device carries out an evaluation on the basis of the comparison to assess whether there is an unacceptable deviation between the actual value and the air volume flow target value.