Middle East airlines report 9.4% year-on-year traffic rise

"Last year [2024] made it absolutely clear that people want to travel," said Willie Walsh, IATA's Director General, who was previously CEO of Aer Lingus and British Airways.

"With 10.4% demand growth, travel reached record numbers domestically and internationally. Airlines met that strong demand with record efficiency. On average, 83.5% of all seats on offer were filled, a new record high, partially attributable to the supply chain constraints that limited capacity growth."

 

Middle Eastern airlines saw a 9.4% traffic rise in 2024 compared to 2023, with capacity increasing 8.4% and load factor rising 0.7% to 80.8%.

 

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As reported, the UAE's Dubai International airport (DXB) welcomed a record 92.3 million passengers in 2024, marking the busiest-ever year for the airport."Looking to 2025, there is every indication that demand for travel will continue to grow, albeit at a moderated pace of 8.0% that is more aligned with historical averages," said Walsh

 

One of the challenges facing the industry is the commitment from airlines to reach net zero emissions by 2050. While airlines invested more than ever in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in 2024, it still accounted for less than 0.5% of fuel used.

 

"SAF is in short supply and costs must come down," said Walsh. "Governments could fortify their national energy security and unblock this problem by prioritising renewable fuel production from which SAF is derived."

 

Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025 – being held at Dubai World Trade Centre from 28 April to 1 May – will address key trends shaping the future of aviation, with a spotlight on SAF.

 

For more information, visit www.iata.org

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