New IATA research reveals that air traffic in Middle East hit 115 per cent

NAIROBI, Kenya - A new report by the International Air Traffic Authority [IATA] has revealed that air traffic in the Middle East hit 115 percent in the month of October.

The IATA report also indicated that the aviation industry sector continues to defy all odds to a positive signal growth post-COVID-19 era.

It showed that the region's capacity increased 56 percent compared to October 2021, while the cargo sector registered 22 percentage points to 80 percent.

However Asia-Pacific carriers posted a 444 percent rise in the same month's rise in October traffic compared to a year earlier surpassing the Middle East-based airlines.

The IATA noted that this increase was built off a very low 2021 base. IATA report also says that the total global air traffic — measured in revenue passenger kilometers — increased by 45 percent in October, compared to the same month last year, primarily driven by strong air traffic growth in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East region.

Global air traffic is now at 74 percent of October 2019 pre-pandemic levels.

Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General“Traditionally, by October we are into the slower autumn travel season in the Northern Hemisphere, so it is highly reassuring to see demand and forward bookings continuing to be so strong. It bodes well for the coming winter season and the ongoing recovery.”

While addressing the media during the IATA's Annual General Meeting in Geneva, , Walsh pointed out that "The aviation sector in the Middle East and Asia region is recovering from the pandemic faster and stronger than the rest of the world."

Walsh also added that Saudi Arabia has a huge ambition in terms of developing the country as a tourist destination, and tangible results are expected to start materializing in 2023 and 2024.

IATA also noted that Middle East region carriers are expected to post a loss of $1.1 billion in 2022, but they will rebound strongly in 2023 by posting a profit of $268 million.

The passenger demand in the region will witness a growth of 23 percent, outpacing capacity growth of 21 percent.

This new report added that total domestic traffic in October 2022 was at 78 percent of the October 2019 level, while domestic forward bookings remain at around 70 percent of the pre-pandemic level.

While international air traffic climbed 102.4 percent in October 2022 compared to the same month last year.

“Governments need to pay attention to the message that air travel is fundamental to how we live and work. That reality should drive policies to enable aviation to operate as efficiently as possible while supporting the industry’s 2050 Net Zero emission goals with meaningful incentives to encourage the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuels,” Walsh added.

Last month IATA released another report that detailed that economic headwinds across the globe continued to affect air cargo demand, as Middle Eastern carriers witnessed a 15 percent fall in air cargo volumes in October, compared to the same month in the previous year.

The November report to report, air cargo volumes in Asia-Pacific airlines decreased by 15 percent in October 2022 compared to the same month in 2021, mainly due to the conflict in Europe, and lower levels of trade and manufacturing activity due to pandemic-related restrictions in China.

GAROWE ONLINE