Middle East-based airlines see 149.7%...

Demand for travel continues to recover despite geopolitical uncertainties

According to a new report by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), recovery in air travel continues to be strong, particularly in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.

The report stated: "Middle Eastern airlines posted a 149.7% traffic rise in September 2022 compared to September 2021. September capacity increased 63.5% versus the year-ago period, and load factor climbed 27.6 percentage points to 80.0%."

The spike was second only to Asia-Pacific airlines, which saw a 464.8% rise in September 2022 traffic compared to September 2021, the strongest year-over-year rate among the regions. Capacity across Asia-Pacific airlines rose 165.3% and the load factor was up 41.5 percentage points to 78.3%.

Across the globe, international traffic climbed 122% in September 2021 to 2022.

Commenting on the findings, IATA director general Willie Walsh said: “Strong demand is helping the industry cope with sky high fuel prices. To support that demand in the long-term, we need to pay attention to what travellers are telling us. After nearly three years of pandemic travel complexity, IATA’s 2022 Global Passenger Survey (GPS) shows that travellers want simplification and convenience. That’s an important message for airlines but also for airports and governments. They own many of the facilitation processes that let passengers down at some key airports over this year’s northern summer travel season.

Walsh added: "According to the GPS, a majority of passengers want to use biometric data rather than passports for border processes. And 93% of passengers are interested in trusted traveller programmes to expedite security screening. Modernising the facilitation experience will not only help alleviate the choke points, it will create a better experience for all.”

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IATA represents 290 airlines comprising 83% of global air traffic. Statistics compiled by IATA Economics use direct airline reporting complemented by estimates, including the use of FlightRadar24 data provided under license. All figures are provisional and represent total reporting at time of publication plus estimates for missing data.

For more information, visit www.iata.org