Tourexpi
Global air travel surpasses pre-pandemic levels in 2024
Thanks
to a 10.4% year-on-year surge, global passenger demand exceeded pre-pandemic
levels by 3.8% in 2024, according to the International Air Transport
Association (IATA) data released on Thursday.
The
aviation industry also saw its highest-ever load factor for the year, reaching
83.5%.
Capacity
expanded by 8.7% at an annualized pace, showcasing airlines’ ability to meet
growing passenger demand while achieving operational efficiency.
IATA
Director General Willie Walsh highlighted the strong appetite for travel,
underscoring the industry's resilience and recovery.
"Aviation
growth reverberates across societies and economies at all levels through jobs,
market development, trade, innovation, exploration, and much more," he
said.
International
travel saw remarkable growth, with demand increasing by 13.6% compared to the
previous year. Domestic travel also showed solid annual gains, with 5.7%.
Walsh
pointed to critical challenges for the sector, underlining the importance of
safety, particularly following Wednesday’s mid-air collision between a
passenger plane and an army helicopter near Washington, and called for renewed
focus on sustainable practices.
Despite
record investments in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) last year, its
availability remains limited, meeting less than 0.5% of the industry’s needs,
he said.
"Governments
could fortify their national energy security and unblock this problem by
prioritizing renewable fuel production from which SAF is derived," Walsh
said.
Looking
ahead, IATA projects continued demand growth in 2025, with an estimated 8%
increase, aligning with historical trends.
In
a separate statement on Wednesday, the IATA said global demand for air freight,
measured in cargo ton-kilometers, surged 11.3% in 2024.
Image
Credit: © AA
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