Middle East air traffic jumped 33.3% in 2023 – IATA

Middle East air traffic jumped 33.3% in 2023 – IATA

Middle East airlines soared high, reporting a 33.3% uptick in air traffic in 2023, compared with the previous year, according to industry data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Capacity in the region also increased by 26%, year-on-year, with passenger load factor climbing 4.4 percentage points to 80.1%, data further revealed. Middle Eastern carriers’ international traffic fared near its pre-pandemic levels, totalling 96.9% of December 2019 Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPK). Total traffic in 2023 rose 36.9% compared to 2022 or 94.1% of pre-pandemic (2019) levels. December 2023 total traffic rose 25.3% compared to 2022 and reached 97.5% of the December 2019 level. Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General stated the 2023 numbers reflect a “strong post-pandemic rebound.” But the industry veteran also warned that to maximise the benefits of air travel in a post-pandemic world, governments need to take a strategic approach. “That means providing cost-efficient infrastructure to meet demand, incentivising Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production to meet our net zero carbon emission goal by 2050, and adopting regulations that deliver a clear cost-benefit,” he said. The region saw an uptick in infrastructure investment in the aviation sector, with the UAE opening the new terminal building of Abu Dhabi