Dubai Airshow 2021: Beckoning the revival of the local and regional aviation sector

Dubai Airshow 2021: Beckoning the revival of the local and regional aviation sector

Standing at the tarmac of the Dubai Airshow, watching a military jet perform extremely complex feats in the sky – going up and down in twisting patterns, it appeared to be sketching the state of the entire aviation industry in the last two years. The Covid-19 pandemic took the industry on a rollercoaster ride – with the downward spiral quite sharp and long. Yet, at the Airshow, it was clear that the ride has started to go upwards now, with all those on the front seats clearly relieved to be heading in the right direction – albeit gradually. In a state of the industry report released at the Airshow, Embraer announced that due to the effects of the pandemic, global traffic recovery – measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) – is forecast to grow 3.3 per cent annually to 2040. “Although slightly more optimistic than our previous forecast which only covered 10 years, the rate is still a notable deceleration compared to pre-Covid growth rates for the next two decades. We expect global RPKs to return to 2019 levels in 2024, a result of an extended pandemic recovery period and from expected changes in industry dynamics,” the report stated. Looking