ACI World released its annual World Airport Traffic Forecasts (WATF) 2023–2052 dataset, unveiling key insights into air travel demand and trends for the next three decades. Among the highlights, it was noted that the passenger numbers are forecasted to double by 2042 and soar to 2.5 times higher by 2052 compared to 2024 figures.
At the dawn of 2024, global passenger traffic is poised to hit 9.7 billion, surpassing pre-pandemic levels for the first time since COVID-19 gripped the world.
Projections indicate a steady ascent in global passenger traffic, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.3 per cent from 2023 to 2042, followed by a slightly moderated growth of 3.6 per cent from 2042 to 2052.
By 2024, international passenger traffic is anticipated to approach the 4 billion mark, while domestic passenger traffic is projected to reach 5.7 billion, stated the forecast.
Looking further ahead to 2042, international passenger traffic is expected to surge to 8.7 billion, with domestic traffic hitting 10.6 billion.
The dynamics of the global passenger market are expected to undergo a notable shift, with emerging and developing economies taking the lead.
In 2023, the leading spots among the top 20 markets for total passenger traffic are held by the US, China, India, Spain, and the UK. However, by 2042 and 2052, China takes the lead, followed by the US, India, Indonesia, and Spain, reflecting a shift in global air travel dynamics over the years.
Between 2023 and 2042, these economies are projected to experience a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4 per cent, fueled by burgeoning population bases and rapid income rises.
Looking ahead to 2024, Sodhi predicts a resurgence in corporate travel, with business travellers displaying increased confidence and planning trips to foster business growth and strengthen professional relationships. Notably, major global airlines are expected to exceed pre-pandemic capacity levels, with two percent more seats offered in 2024 compared to 2019, albeit with a six percent reduction in the number of flights.
ACI‘s latest WATF provides an extended 30-year outlook, incorporating data from 141 countries, including 29 new additions. This resource offers granular forecasts for passengers, air cargo volumes, and aircraft movements at global, regional, and country levels.“The projections indicate that global passenger traffic is set to reach 9.7 billion by the end of 2024, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, and suggest a doubling by 2042 and a 2.5-fold increase by 2052. In the long-term, the global passenger market dynamic is expected to transition from advanced economies towards emerging and developing ones as they experience significant urbanization and population increases, often combined with rapid economic growth favourably impacting their disposable income and willingness to travel,” said ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira.
“Investing responsibly in current and new infrastructure remains key to ensuring that we can sustainably meet capacity growth to maximize the social and economic benefits of aviation,” Oliveira added.
[ad_2]
Source link
India was ranked fifth among the top five largest passenger markets for Singapore‘s Changi Airport, which handled 328,000 flights and 58.9 million passengers in 2023, rebounding to 83 per cent of traffic levels seen before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to official data released on Wednesday. Indonesia topped the airport’s passenger market in 2023, followed by Malaysia, Australia, Thailand and India, as per the latest figures released by the Changi Airport Group (CAG).
India was the sixth travel traffic generator for the Changi Airport in 2019. Before the pandemic hit in 2019, the airport had registered 68.3 million passenger movements.
The 2023 traffic passing through Changi airport was also an 83 per cent increase from the 32.2 million passengers the airport handled in 2022.
About 328,000 flights took off from or landed at Changi Airport in 2023, the data stated, as against 382,000 flights it handled in 2019.
Between October and December 2023, the airport recorded 16.1 million passenger movements, surpassing 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
December was the busiest month of the year, with 5.8 million passengers moving through the airport. This was 91 per cent of traffic levels in December 2019.
The airport recorded its busiest day of the year on Dec 22, the Friday before Christmas, with 203,000 passengers passing through its terminals.
In December, 30,400 flights landed at or departed from the airport.
Quoting CAG, The Straits Times newspaper reported that all the regions to which the airport is connected are recording healthy recovery in passenger traffic from pre-pandemic levels. North America was the region that recorded the greatest growth of more than 25 per cent, compared to 2019.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai witnessed an impressive 35 per cent surge in passenger traffic in the calendar year 2023, welcoming 51.58 million passengers compared to 38.33 million in the previous year. The airport also observed a 20 per cent growth in Air Traffic Movements (ATMs), making a total of 3,34,391 movements, which emphasizes CSMIA’s efficiency and excellence in aviation.
Meanwhile, Europe, the South-west Pacific (comprising Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands such as Fiji) and South Asia are near full recovery, rebounding to more than 90 per cent of passenger traffic levels in 2019, the report said. Compared to 2022, North-east Asia was Changi Airport’s leading region in 2023, with passenger traffic increasing more than four times that of the previous year. This was mostly due to a rise in travel between China and Singapore.
China had gradually loosened its Covid-19 controls from January 2023. Singapore later became one of the first countries China allowed its citizens to travel to in tour groups. Last July, China reinstated 15-day visa-free entry for Singaporeans.
Among the airport’s top 10 markets, China, Japan and South Korea were the fastest growing in 2023 compared to 2022.
The busiest routes to and from the airport throughout the year were Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Bangkok in Thailand, Jakarta in Indonesia, Denpasar in Bali, Indonesia, and Manila in the Philippines.
However, Changi Airport’s cargo flows dipped 6 per cent compared to 2022 amid global economic uncertainty and inflationary pressures, the report said.
[ad_2]
Source link
The revered Mata Shree Chintpurni temple is on the cusp of a transformative addition – a passenger ropeway soon to come up will enhance the pilgrim experiences.
The envisioned 1.1-kilometer aerial ropeway, boasting an estimated budget of INR 76.50 crore, aims to redefine connectivity and accessibility to the sacred site. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu shared his enthusiasm, highlighting the ropeway’s capacity to ferry 700 passengers per hour in each direction. Beyond enhancing the pilgrim experience, the project is envisioned to generate substantial employment opportunities for the local youth.
Recently, the Managing Director of M/s Sky Himalayas Ropeways Private Ltd, Amitabh Sharma, was handed a Letter of Award by Ajay Sharma, Director of Ropeways and Rapid Transport System Development Corporation Ltd. Himachal Pradesh, signaling the initiation of the long-awaited project at the pilgrimage destination.
The Prime Minister emphasised the essence of hospitality among the citizens of Kashi, affirming that participants would carry back a piece of Kashi’s culture, flavors, and cherished memories to Tamil Nadu. He also underscored the growing interest among the youth in ancient traditions, noting the increasing number of pilgrimages by Tamil Nadu’s youth. He also launched the Kanyakumari – Varanasi Tamil Sangamam train and the multi-language and braille translations of Tamil literary works.
Nestled in district Una, the Chintpurni Temple holds profound historical and spiritual significance, revered as one of the most sacred Shaktipeeths in Himachal Pradesh. Chief Minister Sukhu emphasised the ropeway’s dual role in alleviating congestion while ensuring safe and seamless transit for devotees.With an eye on prompt execution, the Chief Minister directed the company to adhere to strict timelines, emphasising the significance of timely completion to grant both pilgrims and locals unhindered access to this transformative facility.
[ad_2]
Source link
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) recorded 109% recovery in November passenger traffic compared to the pre-pandemic levels of November 2018 with 4.46 million passengers travelling through the airport.
Additionally, the airport recorded the highest passenger traffic movement in a single day for the month on November 25with 167,132 passengers travelling through CSMIA (with more than 1,20,000 domestic pax movements and more than 46,000 international pax movements).
In another record, on November 11, CSMIA achieved its highest-ever single-day Air Traffic Movements (ATMs) with a total of 1,032 ATMs, shared CSMIA.
Andhra Pradesh airports, including Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry, Kadapa, and Tirupati, have accumulated over INR 520 crore losses between 2020-21 and 2022-23. Vijayawada alone posted INR 203 crore losses, followed by Rajahmundry (INR 135 crore), Tirupati (INR 129 crore), Vizag (INR 31 crore), and Kadapa (INR 25 crore). However, Vizag airport managed to turn a profit, reporting INR 2.4 crore in 2022-23 after losses in the previous years.
Additionally, the airport experienced its highest-ever monthly traffic in November 2023, reaching a substantial 4.46 million, with a growth of 13% as compared to November 2022 (3.9 million). With regard to domestic traffic, a staggering 3 million passengers travelled through CSMIA during the month. November’23 also witnessed a total of 28,679 ATMs, a 12% growth compared to November 2022 (25,375). This includes an approximate of over 20,000 domestic and over 7,000 international ATMs, CSMIA shared. In November 2023, Delhi, Bangalore, and Chennai retained their positions as the top domestic destinations for CSMIA, while Dubai, London, and Abu Dhabi continued to be the preferred international choices.
Notably, on the bustling Mumbai – Delhi route alone, CSMIA recorded a substantial traffic of 557,393 pax. Among airlines, IndiGo, Vistara, and Air India were leading in the domestic market share once again, with IndiGo catering to over 1.6 million domestic passengers. Whereas, in the international sector, IndiGo, Air India, and Emirates continued to maintain their leading positions.
CSMIA recently expanded its international connectivity and frequency with services to destinations such as Entebbe, Baku, Bangkok, and Toronto adding to the diverse travel network.
[ad_2]
Source link
“The air passenger traffic, which is 14.5 crore today, will grow to 42 crores by 2030 and civil aviation will become a foundation for transportation in the country,” he said after laying the foundation for a new terminal building at Rajahmundry Airport.
Scindia also stated that the capacity at six metro airports (Bengaluru, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and Hyderabad) which is 22 crore now, will go up to 42 crore in next five years.
The minister said during the last nine years, 12 new greenfield airports were added, taking the total number to 15. Next year, two new greenfield airports will be ready – one at Jewar next to Delhi and another in Navi Mumbai.
Scindia said the total number of airports, waterdromes and heliports will go up from 149 to 220 by 2030. He mentioned that since Independence, the country had developed only 74 airports but in the last nine years it added another 75 airports, waterdromes, and heliports.
India’s civil aviation minister today said the first phase of construction work of Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram International Airport in Ayodhya will be completed by the end of this month. Jyotiraditya M Scindia also said, the first section of the bullet train project is expected to start in three years.
The minister said in Andhra Pradesh, two new greenfield projects at Bhogapuram and Nellore and a waterdrome at Prakasam Barrage were coming up and he was monitoring the work on a monthly basis. Scindia said Andhra Pradesh had four airports prior to 2014 but it now has two additional airports – Kurnool and Kadapa.
Connectivity from all airports has improved. The air traffic movement from the state which was only 388 in 2014, has grown to 1,164, a 200 per cent increase.
A total of 32 routes were operationalised under the UDAN scheme in Andhra Pradesh. Rajahmundry, which had only one connection in 2014, today has connectivity to three cities. Tirupati is today connected to 10 cities in the country, against just one in 2014. Vijayawada, which was connected to only Hyderabad and Bengaluru, is connected to eight cities in India and also Sharjah.
Visakhapatnam airport, which was connected to only nine cities in the country, is today connected to 14 cities and to Singapore. Kadapa airport, which was not in existence, is connected to four cities while Kurnool airport is connected to three cities.
To be built at a cost of INR 350 crore, the new terminal at Rajahmundry Airport will have an area of 17,029 square metres, which will be four times the size of the existing terminal. It will also serve over 2,100 passengers during peak hours and 30 lakh passengers annually, which is nine times more than the current capacity of the terminal.
Scindia exuded confidence that this new era of connectivity will open up opportunities in local tourism, investment and agricultural trade. He noted that Rajahmundry has been the centre of heritage, culture and tradition for time immemorial and birth place of Telugu language.
Andhra Pradesh airports, including Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry, Kadapa, and Tirupati, have accumulated over INR 520 crore losses between 2020-21 and 2022-23. Vijayawada alone posted INR 203 crore losses, followed by Rajahmundry (INR 135 crore), Tirupati (INR 129 crore), Vizag (INR 31 crore), and Kadapa (INR 25 crore). However, Vizag airport managed to turn a profit, reporting INR 2.4 crore in 2022-23 after losses in the previous years.
This airport is spread over 1,200 acres with a runway of 3,165 meters that has the capability to land Boeing 377, and Airbus 321 planes. It has six parking bays and is connected to Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad with 126 flight movements in a week.
With the completion of the new terminal, peak passenger load from the current 225 will go up to 2,100 passengers. There will be three aero bridges, modern connectivity, 28 check-in counters and sustainable features.
On Rajahmundry MP Bharat Margani’s demand for building a cargo terminal, he said once the new passenger terminal is built, the airport will get larger narrow-bodied aircraft. “If there is demand for seafood and plantations for domestic trade, we will certainly think of setting up a cargo terminal,” he added.
[ad_2]
Source link
Yet again, promising strides in passenger demand is witnessed during October, signifying a continued resurgence in air travel, revealed the recent statistics by International Air Transport Association (IATA)
Throughout October 2023, global air traffic surged by 31.2 per cent compared to the same period in 2022, as measured by revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs). This notable increase brought global traffic soaring to 98.2 per cent of pre-Covid levels, indicating a substantial rebound in the aviation sector.
Domestic air travel took a leap, showing a 33.7 per cent increase in October compared to the preceding year. This substantial growth was notably propelled by an exceptional triple-digit surge in China, surpassing even the air travel figures recorded in October 2019 by 4.8 per cent.
Meanwhile, international air travel exhibited a robust recovery, climbing by 29.7 per cent compared to the previous year. Despite this recovery, international RPKs reached 94.4 per cent of the levels seen in October 2019, signifying that while progress is evident, international demand is still on a slower trajectory to full recovery.
IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, expressed his observations on this trend. He highlighted the surpassing of pre-Covid levels in domestic markets while noting a slower pace in international demand’s resurgence. Specifically, the Asia Pacific region‘s international demand remained 19.5 per cent below 2019 levels. This discrepancy, according to Walsh, might be attributed to delayed easing of Covid restrictions in some parts of the region, alongside commercial developments and political tensions in specific areas.
Passenger market performance across regions
Asia-Pacific airlines led the charge with a 80.3 per cent increase in October 2023 traffic compared to the same period in 2022. Both capacity and load factor showcased substantial improvements, indicating a robust recovery in the region.
During the ET Travel & Tourism Conclave, Arvind Singh, Former Tourism Secretary & AAI Chairman highlighted India’s tourism growth, projecting a INR 16.5 trillion contribution to the economy in 2023, a mere 3.5 per cent dip from pre-pandemic 2019 figures. Singh also discussed global tourism’s outlook, foreseeing a 23.3 per cent surge in Travel and Tourism GDP, nearing USD 9.5 trillion for 2023.
European carriers observed a 16.1 per cent rise in traffic in October 2023, accompanied by slight increases in both capacity and load factor.Middle Eastern airlines reported a 24.1 per cent surge in October 2023 traffic compared to the previous year. Despite regional conflicts, their operations remained relatively unaffected at the global level.
North American carriers marked a 17.5 per cent upswing in traffic during October 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, demonstrating stability in both capacity and load factor.
Latin American airlines recorded a notable 21.2 per cent increase in traffic, although the simultaneous increase in capacity resulted in a slight dip in the load factor, which remained the highest among all regions.
African airlines experienced a substantial 25.3 per cent surge in traffic during October 2023 compared to a year ago. However, increased capacity led to a decline in load factor, marking the lowest among all regions.
“People assign a high value to the freedom to travel. The strong demand we’ve seen all year confirms that. And aviation is committed to ensuring that people can continue to enjoy this freedom. To do that in the long-term, we must also meet our commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050,” said Walsh.
“Last month, the Third Conference on Aviation Alternative Fuels (CAAF/3) agreed on a global framework to promote Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production with the aim that aviation fuel in 2030 is 5 per cent less carbon intensive than fossil fuel used today. Now, governments need to support that target by immediately putting in place policies to stimulate SAF production. It bears repeating: last year, every drop of SAF that was produced was purchased. The same thing will occur this year. But, with a few notable exceptions, governments are not living up to their obligations to ensure SAF is plentiful and affordable to support the industry’s energy transition,” added Walsh.
[ad_2]
Source link
According to ICRA‘s latest report, India’s domestic air passenger traffic for September 2023 is estimated at approximately 122.7 lakh passengers, displaying a marginal decrease of about 1.3 per cent compared to August 2023 when it stood at around 124.2 lakh passengers.
Despite this slight dip, the data reveals a noteworthy year-on-year growth of approximately 19 per cent as compared to September 2022, which witnessed roughly 103 lakh passengers. Additionally, September 2023 also surpasses pre-Covid levels in September 2019 by approximately 7 per cent, when the traffic count was around 117 lakh passengers.
For the first half of FY2024, spanning from April to September 2023, the domestic air passenger traffic totaled around 753.79 lakh passengers. This represents a significant year-on-year growth of 20 per cent when compared to the same period in FY2023 (April-September 2022) when the traffic count was around 626.68 lakh passengers. Moreover, this figure is roughly 7 per cent higher than the pre-Covid levels witnessed in the corresponding period of April-September 2019, which stood at 703.93 lakh passengers.
Under this pricing structure, passengers booking IndiGo flights will incur a fuel charge, per sector, based on the sector distance. The decision comes after sharp increase in the Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices in recent months. The move is likely to prompt other airlines to follow the suit and start charging fee from passengers.
Furthermore, airline operators in September 2023 deployed a capacity that was around 10 per cent higher than the capacity deployed in September 2022. However, it is important to note that the current capacity remains slightly lower, by approximately 0.5 per cent, when compared to the pre-COVID levels of September 2019.In September 2023, it is estimated that the domestic aviation industry operated at a passenger load factor (PLF) of approximately 89 per cent. This is a significant increase compared to September 2022 when the PLF was around 82 per cent and, more interestingly, it is marginally higher than the pre-COVID PLF levels of September 2019, which stood at around 86 per cent.
Additionally, in the fiscal year 2024, Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices exhibited a sequential decline up until June 2023. Subsequently, there has been a steady increase in ATF prices, with a 5 per cent hike in October 2023. This upward trend is significant as it marks the first YoY increase in ATF prices for FY2024, with a growth of 1.3 per cent in October 2023. This increase is attributed to the rising crude oil prices observed over the past four months.
[ad_2]
Source link
Different airlines operating from Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) in Karnataka on domestic and international routes recorded good passenger traffic. In the first five months of the present financial year, IndiGo and Air India registered passenger load of 87.5 per cent on the domestic destinations they connect directly.
On international routes, Air India Express and IndiGo recorded 81.7 per cent passenger traffic, a press release issued by MIA said.
Against a seating capacity of 3,21,554 on flights landing at Mangaluru from Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune, IndiGo and Air India had 2,80,739 passengers.
Arrivals from Mumbai saw the highest traffic with 1,12,973 passengers travelling against a seating capacity of 1,23,836. Pune had the least load factor of 69 per cent with 11,078 travellers against 16,062 seats on offer, it said.
Delhi, Bangalore, and Chennai emerged as the top domestic destinations for CSMIA in August 2023. In the international sector, Dubai, London, and Abu Dhabi remained the most preferred destinations. Moreover, the airport witnessed substantial growth in international sectors compared to the previous year. The Independence Day weekend in August saw a substantial surge in passenger numbers.
For domestic flights departing from MIA, Chennai and Hyderabad recorded passenger loads of 89.91 per cent and 89.66 per cent respectively. A total of 10,520 passengers travelled to Chennai against 11,700 seats on offer, while Hyderabad saw 21,370 passengers travel against the available 23,836 seats. Mumbai came third with a load factor of 87.3 per cent with 1,08,695 travelling against 1,23,836 seats on offer. On the international sector, the airlines recorded a passenger load of 81.7 per cent for 1,10,823 passengers arriving from Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dammam, Doha, Dubai, Kuwait and Muscat between April and August. The seats on offer for those destinations in these five months were 1,35,626.
The departure load factor for the above destinations from MIA was 83.3 per cent with 1,12,930 passengers travelling against a capacity of 1,35,449.
Arrivals from Dubai to Mangaluru saw airlines ferry 67,538 passengers against a capacity of 76,841, a passenger load of 88.26 per cent. Abu Dhabi was the next busiest, with an arriving passenger load of 85.65 per cent (13,414 travellers against 15,660 capacity).
Abu Dhabi emerged as the most sought-after international destination from Mangaluru, recording a load factor of 90.12 per cent with 14,276 passengers travelling against 15,840 seats on offer.
A total of 1,66,047 passengers travelled in August, both domestically and abroad. The arrival load factor to the 13 destinations was 83 per cent with 79,377 passengers travelling against 96,837 seats on offer.
Departures saw a load factor of 90 per cent with 86,670 passengers emplaning against 96,837 seats on offer. With additional domestic flights scheduled in the upcoming winter schedule, more people are expected to travel to and from Mangaluru, the release said.
[ad_2]
Source link