IATA predicts that the number of air travelers will exceed pre-pandemic levels in 2024

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), has announced its expectations that the total number of passengers will reach 4 billion passengers in 2024 (considering the flights of follow-up in various sectors as a single passenger), which means exceeding the levels of the pre-Covid 19 crisis, with 103% from 2019.

Expectations about the course of the economic recovery in the short term have seen a slight shift, reflecting the development of travel restrictions imposed by countries in some markets.

Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association, said: “The aviation sector has continued to recover after the Covid-19 crisis, despite the emergence of Omicron, because people want to travel and will return to non-airports. as soon as the restrictions are lifted. The expected increase in the number of passengers is cause for optimism “.

The total number of passengers in 2021 reached 47% of 2019 levels and this percentage is projected to rise to 83% in 2022, 94% in 2023, 103% in 2024 and 111% in 2025, according to the Emirati “declaration”.

The number of international passengers in 2021 reached 27% of 2019 levels and this percentage is expected to rise to 69% in 2022, 82% in 2023, 92% in 2024 and 101% in 2025.

This is a short-term global recovery scenario, slightly more optimistic than in November 2021, thanks to that improvement, due to the gradual easing, or termination of travel restrictions. in many markets, which had a positive effect on the main markets in the North Atlantic and within Europe, which strengthened the chances of recovery. Expectations also indicate that the sector in the Asia Pacific region will continue to experience a slow pace of recovery, with China, the largest market in the region, showing no signs of easing its tight border measures in the foreseeable future.

The number of domestic travelers in 2021 reached 61% of 2019 levels and this percentage is expected to rise to 93% in 2022, 103% in 2023, 111% in 2024 and 118% in 2025.

The outlook for domestic travelers is a bit more gloomy than in November, as major domestic markets such as China, Canada, Japan and Australia have failed to recover, unlike those of Russia and the United States.