In February, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data that showed that North America was the only region where demand for air travel did not increase by double digits compared to the same month in 2023. This was a significant setback for the global airline industry, which saw a 21.5% increase in total demand for air travel. Despite this, IATA chief Willie Walsh expressed optimism about the prospects of the airline industry in 2024, citing increased demand and investment in green technologies as key drivers.
However, Walsh also warned against imposing new taxes and fees on flying that could make it more expensive and destabilize the positive trajectory the industry is currently on. He urged politicians to carefully consider their actions and avoid uncompetitive tax proposals that could hinder economic recovery and increase travel costs.
In particular, Walsh noted concerns about Europe’s plans to implement new taxes on flights, which he believes could be uncompetitive and harmful to economic recovery in Europe and beyond. Despite these challenges, Walsh remains optimistic about the future of the airline industry and believes that with careful management and investment in green technologies, it can continue to grow and thrive in 2024.
