The international aviation industry expects passenger numbers to be close to pre-crisis levels again this year. According to estimates by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), airlines are expected to carry around 2023.4 billion passengers worldwide in 35 – almost as many as in the record year 2019 before the outbreak of the Corona pandemic. At that time, the number was 4.54 billion passengers. The association also expects significantly more profit this year.
As the association, which met in Istanbul for its annual meeting, further announced, the easing is due, among other things, to the opening of the Chinese economy after the strict Corona requirements of recent years as well as to the declining kerosene costs. Consequently, even after years of high losses, the association expects the sector to return to the black.
"Craving for travel not dampened"
Net profit is estimated at 9.8 billion dollars (just under 9.2 billion euros) – twice as much as previously forecast. At $803 billion, global sales are also expected to be roughly at par with pre-crisis levels ($838 billion).
Economic uncertainties have "not dampened the desire to travel," the association said against the backdrop of high inflation and economic problems as a result of the Ukraine war. However, Iata expects significant differences between the regions of the world. While airlines in North America, Europe and the Middle East are likely to be profitable, the Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Africa sectors are expected to suffer losses again.