9th Feb 2021, Kathmandu
As the Covid-19 outbreak impacting the globe, 2020 has been the worst year in international air travel history.
Analyzing the state of the airline industry, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has called the last year a “bad year” for global airlines. Aita said the passenger-kilometer revenue (RPK) demand dropped by 65.9%.
As the Coronavirus spreads, passenger traffic across the world has stalled. Air services have been shut down and re-opened around the country with an emphasis on health and safety. Tourism operation has been affected. Air services to countries that have been shut down have been discontinued.
Despite vaccine production, the airline sector has not improved as planned this year. Passenger traffic is much lower than expected to increase this year. The number of passengers flying on long-haul airlines was not inspiring. However, with vaccine production, trade is expected to increase as life in major cities around the world returns to a ‘new standard.’
Compared to 2019, demand for international flights declined by 75% in 2020. According to the organization, the available seat capacity decreased by 68.1 percent, while the load factor decreased by 62.8 percent.
Global domestic demand declined by 48.8% in 2020 compared to 2019. Likewise, flight capacity decreased by 35.7 percent and load factor by 66.6 percent.
The advance booking rate, beginning in January 2021, has been reduced by 70%, the organization said. IATA expected a 50.4 percent increase in the airline industry in 2021. ‘There was an epidemic in the global aviation industry last year. There’s no other way to evaluate it. The year-long travel ban was in dire straits,” said Alexandre de Juniac, Director General and CEO of the organization.
This was the international passenger market
Compared to 2019, airline traffic in the Asia-Pacific region decreased by 80.3 percent in 2020, according to a study prepared by the organization. In December alone, international air traffic decreased by 94.7%. Flight capacity in the area will decline by 74.1% by 2020.
Furthermore, the traffic volume of European airlines has decreased by 73.7%. Of these, flight capacity decreased by 66.3%t and load factor by 66.8 percent, the Agency said.
Middle Eastern airlines say that passenger demand has dropped by 72.9% this year. Annual flight capacity in the area decreased by 63.9% and the load factor decreased by 57.3%. South American airlines saw a 75.4% decline in traffic this year.
According to data, the flight capacity in South America decreased by 62.5% and the load factor decreased by 60.1% this year. Air traffic in Latin American airlines decreased by 71.8%. Flight capacity in the area decreased by 67.7% and 72.4% respectively.
Compared to other countries, the traffic of African airlines has decreased by 69.8%. Flight capacity in the area decreased by 61.5% and the load factor decreased by 15.4%. This region, which was less affected than other regions, had relatively few visit restrictions.