Global air travel reaches 99 per cent of pre- pandemic traffic
GLOBAL air travel performance is already one per cent short of the 2019 pre- pandemic traffic, often called the golden era of commercial aviation.
The latest International Air Transport Association’s ( IATA) released data showed that air travel demand topped 99 per cent of 2019 levels last November.
Total traffic in November 2023 ( measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKS) rose 29.7 per cent compared to November 2022. Globally, traffic is now at 99.1 per cent of November 2019 levels.
International traffic rose 26.4 per cent versus November 2022. The AsiaPacific region continued to report the strongest yearover- year results (+ 63.8 per cent) with all regions showing improvement compared to the prior year. November 2023 international RPKS reached 94.5 per cent of November 2019 levels.
Domestic traffic for November 2023 was up 34.8 per cent compared to November 2022. Total November 2023 domestic traffic was 6.7 per cent above the November 2019 level.
Growth was particularly strong in China (+ 272 per cent) as it recovered from the COVID travel restrictions that were still in place a year ago. U. S. domestic tra vel, benefiting from strong Thanksgiving holidays demand, reached a new high, expanding + 9.1 per cent over November 2019. IA TA’S Director General, Willie Walsh, said air transport is moving ever closer to surpassing the 2019 peak year for air travel.
Walsh said: “Economic headwinds are not deterring people from taking to the skies. International travel remains 5.5 per cent below pre- pandemic levels but that gap is rapidly closing. And domestic markets have been above their prepandemic levels continuously since April.”
In the regional performances, African airlines had a 22.1 per cent rise in November RPKS versus a year ago . November 2023 capacity was up 29.6 per cent and load factor fell 4.3 percent - age points to 69.7 per cent – the lowest among regions. Asia- Pacific airlines had a 63.8 per cent rise in November traffic compared to November 2022, which was the strongest year- overyear rate among the regions.
Capacity rose 58.0 per cent and the load factor was up 2.9 percentage points to 82.6 per cent.
European carriers’ November traffic climbed 14.8 per cent versus November 2022. Capacity increased 15.2 per cent, and load factor declined 0.3 percentage points to 83.3 per cent.
Middle Eastern airli nes sa w an 18.6 per cent traffic rise in November compared to November 2022. November capacity increased 19.0 per cent versus the year- ago period, and load factor fell 0.2 percentage points to 77.4 per cent.
North American carriers experienced a 14.3 per cent traffic rise in November versus the 2022 period. Capacity increased 16.3 per cent, and the load factor fell 1.4 percentage points to 80.0 per cent.
Latin American airlines’ November traffic rose 20.0 per cent compared to the same month in 2022. November capacity climbed 17.7 per cent and load factor increased 1.7 percentage points to 84.9 per cent, the highest of any region.
Walsh noted that a viation’s rapid recovery from COVID demonstrates just how important flying is to people and businesses.
“In parallel to aviation’s recovery, governments recognised the urgency of transitioning from jet fuel to Sustainable Aviation Fuel ( SAF) for aviation’s decarbonisation.
“The Third Conference on Aviation Alternative Fuels ( CAAF/ 3) in November saw governments agree that we should see 5 per cent carbon savings by 2030 from SAF. This was followed up at COP28 in December where governments agreed that we need a broad transition from fossil fuels to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
“Airlines don’t need convincing. They agreed to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and every drop of SAF ever made in that effort has been bought and used. There simply is not enough SAF being produced.
“So, we look to 2024 to be the year when governments follow- up on their own declarations and finally deliver comprehensive policy measures to incentivize the rapid scaling- up of SAF production,” Walsh said.