victim of its success, air transport can no longer meet demand

Five billion is the record number of travelers that airlines will have to transport in 2024 around the world. The only thing is, there aren’t enough planes. This is the finding made by the International Air Transport Association

The passengers are there, but we lack planes to take them on. Airlines will have to transport five billion travelers around the world in 2024, and although many of them want to develop their network and serve new destinations, they are unable to do so because they are not receiving new planes.

In addition to the fact that they need aircraft, airlines must resolve all logistical problems upstream, overcome the shortage of spare parts for aircraft maintenance, develop sustainable fuel, which is missing, but which is now essential to participate in the decarbonization of flights.

Air carrier activity is hampered by Boeing’s setbacks and delivery delays. The American aircraft manufacturer is experiencing major technical problems. Airbus, for its part, must cope with strong demand, its production lines are struggling to keep up. Delivery delays have become a taboo subject while customers are there, with orders from companies to respond to the influx of passengers. The order books of Airbus and Boeing are practically full until 2030, but the two manufacturers cannot supply up to the level of demand.

With the return of passengers, the financial results of airlines have been comfortable since the resumption of traffic after the Covid pandemic. All companies combined, accumulated net profits should approach, in 2024, 30 billion euros compared to 25 billion in 2023. Turnover, the overall volume of activity before taxes, is up 10% year-on-year and closes for the first time the mark of 1,000 billion dollars (916 billion euros).