09/11/2015
Statement published in DECEMBER 2014 by IATA
Passenger numbers are expected to reach 7.3 billion by 2034, according to IATA’s first 20-year passenger growth forecast.
The report also predicts that China will overtake the United States as the world’s largest passenger market (defined by traffic to, from and within) by 2030. Both markets, however, are expected to remain the largest by a wide margin.
Eight of the 10 fastest-growing markets in percentage terms will be in Africa, and the top five are Central African Republic, Madagascar, Tanzania, Burundi, and Kuwait.
The overall growth figures represent a 4.1% average annual growth in demand for air connectivity. The report identified improving living standards, population and demographics, and price and availability as the reasons for improved demand.
“It is an exciting prospect to think that in the next 20 years more than twice as many passengers as today will have the chance to fly,” said IATA Director General and CEO Tony Tyler.
“Air connectivity on this scale will help transform economic opportunities for millions of people. At present, aviation helps sustain 58 million jobs and $2.4 trillion in economic activity. In 20 years’ time we can expect aviation to be supporting around 105 million jobs and $6 trillion in GDP,” he said.
Tyler added, however, that there is potential for policy-induced obstacles to hinder the development of connectivity. “Meeting the potential demand will require government policies that support the economic benefits that growing connectivity makes possible. Airlines can only fly where there is infrastructure to accommodate them.”
The report, the first from the new IATA Passenger Forecasting Service, produced in association with Tourism Economics, analyzes passenger flows across 4,000 country pairs for the next 20 years, forecasting passenger numbers through three key demand drivers: living standards, population and demographics, and price and availability.
Rwanda is the Africa's fastest growing air market
21 JULY 2012
According to the last Market Analysis made by OAG Aviation, Rwanda is the Africa's fastest growing air market, thanks to a strong economy, despite the global crisis.
In deed, from 2008 to 2012, the number of scheduled air seats in Rwanda increased by 22% per year – ahead of Sao Tome & Principe (+21%) and Angola (+17%). South Africa remains the best served country in Africa, although it grew just 1% in the past 12 months. Egypt is second, followed by Nigeria, Morocco and Algeria.
Since 2008, 5 airlines have started flights to Rwanda (Air Uganda, KLM, South African Airways, Qatar Airways an Turkish Airlines), while Brussels Airlines, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines have increased the number of flights.
About the national airline, RwandAir has been restructured in 2009. The airline has acquired its own aircraft and thus opened new destinations to major hubs, such as Lagos in Nigeria or Dubai. The airline carries about 25 000 passengers each month, since early 2012, compared to 5 000 in 2009.
In 2011, Kigali received over 400 000 passengers (250 000 in 2009). There has also been a sharp increase in domestic flight frequencies from 2, 000 in 2007 to 40, 000 in 2011.
