The aviation industry’s post-Covid rebound is continuing to show momentum, with total air passenger traffic having surged by 58.8%, year-on-year, in July, according to latest figures from industry group the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Air passenger traffic – on a global basis – is now up to almost 75% of pre-Covid crisis levels.
IATA director general Willie Walsh said: “July’s performance continued to be strong, with some markets approaching pre-COVID levels. And, that is even with capacity constraints in parts of the world that were unprepared for the speed at which people returned to travel.”
“There is still more ground to recover, but this is an excellent sign as we head into the traditionally slower autumn and winter quarters in the Northern Hemisphere,” Mr Walsh said.
“Aviation continues to recover as people take advantage of their restored freedom to travel. The pandemic showed that aviation is not a luxury but a necessity in our globalized and interconnected world. Aviation is committed to continuing to meet the demands of people and commerce and to do it sustainably,” Mr Walsh said.
The aviation industry has a goal of reaching net zero CO2 emissions by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement.
“With governments supporting the same goal and timeline, we and our value chain partners can move forward with confidence towards a net zero carbon future,” Mr Walsh said.
