The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that global air transport recovered 94.1 % of its 2019 passenger traffic last year, indicating a “strong upturn” in the wake of the pandemic.

In the fourth quarter of 2023, the frequency of aircraft, calculated in terms of paid passenger-kilometres (RPK), reached 98.4 % of the levels of the same period four years ago. IATA, which brings together 320 airlines representing 83 % of world air traffic, said in its monthly statistics that this translates into a “strong recovery” by the end of the year.

Border closures and other travel restrictions imposed since March 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, had devastating effects on passenger air transport, which fell that year to 34.2 % compared to the 2019 level, according to the agency.

The recovery did not come until 2021, when 41.6 % of the pre-pandemic level was reached, and in 2022, with 68.5 %.

“The strong recovery from the pandemic continued into 2023,” said IATA Director General Willie Walsh, quoted in a statement. This augurs a “return to normal growth patterns by 2024. The recovered health of the travel industry is good news.”

The activity was again boosted by domestic routes, which in 2023 reached 103.9 % of their 2019 RPK, according to IATA. The trend accelerated with the end of movement restrictions in China, after three years of stringent measures, where domestic flights reached 107.1 % of 2019 levels.

Latin American Airlines posted the strongest year-on-year performance of all regions, with a 2.0 % increase in demand in 2023 compared to 2022 (+1.9 % for international operations).

K. Tovar

Source: Bancaynegocios

(Reference image source: Unsplash+, in collaboration with Getty Images)

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