Market Intelligence: North and Central Asia

IATA: Air Travel Reaches 99% of 2019 Levels as Recovery Continues in November 2023

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for November 2023 air travel performance indicating that air travel demand topped 99% of 2019 levels.

Total traffic in November 2023 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) rose 29.7% compared to November 2022. Globally, traffic is now at 99.1% of November 2019 levels.

International traffic rose 26.4% versus November 2022. The Asia-Pacific region continued to report the strongest year-over-year results (+63.8%) with all regions showing improvement compared to the prior year. November 2023 international RPKs reached 94.5% of November 2019 levels.

Domestic traffic for November 2023 was up 34.8% compared to November 2022. Total November 2023 domestic traffic was 6.7% above the November 2019 level. Growth was particularly strong in China (+272%) as it recovered from the COVID travel restrictions that were still in place a year ago. US domestic travel, benefitting from strong Thanksgiving holidays demand, reached a new high, expanding +9.1% over November 2019.

“We are moving ever closer to surpassing the 2019 peak year for air travel. Economic headwinds are not deterring people from taking to the skies. International travel remains 5.5% below pre-pandemic levels but that gap is rapidly closing. And domestic markets have been above their pre-pandemic levels continuously since April,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

International Passenger Markets

Asia-Pacific airlines had a 63.8% rise in November traffic compared to November 2022, which was the strongest year-over-year rate among the regions. Capacity rose 58.0% and the load factor was up 2.9 percentage points to 82.6%.

European carriers’ November traffic climbed 14.8% versus November 2022. Capacity increased 15.2%, and load factor declined 0.3 percentage points to 83.3%.

Middle Eastern airlines saw an 18.6% traffic rise in November compared to November 2022. November capacity increased 19.0% versus the year-ago period, and load factor fell 0.2 percentage points to 77.4%.

North American carriers experienced a 14.3% traffic rise in November versus the 2022 period. Capacity increased 16.3%, and load factor fell 1.4 percentage points to 80.0%.

Latin American airlines’ November traffic rose 20.0% compared to the same month in 2022. November capacity climbed 17.7% and load factor increased 1.7 percentage points to 84.9%, the highest of any region.

African airlines had a 22.1% rise in November RPKs versus a year ago. November 2023 capacity was up 29.6% and load factor fell 4.3 percentage points to 69.7%, the lowest among regions.

The Bottom Line

“Aviation’s rapid recovery from COVID demonstrates just how important flying is to people and to businesses. In parallel to aviation’s recovery, governments recognized the urgency of transitioning from jet fuel to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for aviation’s decarbonization. The Third Conference on Aviation Alternative Fuels (CAAF/3) in November saw governments agree that we should see 5% carbon savings by 2030 from SAF. This was followed up at COP28 in December where governments agreed that we need a broad transition from fossil fuels to avoid the worst effects of climate change.  Airlines don’t need convincing. They agreed to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and every drop of SAF ever made in that effort has been bought and used. There simply is not enough SAF being produced. So we look to 2024 to be the year when governments follow-up on their own declarations and finally deliver comprehensive policy measures to incentivize the rapid scaling-up of SAF production,” said Walsh.

Source: IATA
Photo Credit: IATA

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Global Pilot Training Solution Provider, CAE, Launches Flight Operations Consulting

CAE is excited to announce the launch of CAE Flight Operations Consulting, the pilot training group’s comprehensive suite of consulting services that delivers customized solutions tailored to your business.

Based on CAE’s years of experience working closely with airline partners to revolutionize their flight operations, this pioneering service has been designed to transform business and flight operations with valuable insights and a partnering approach.

The Flight Operations Services are a comprehensive suite of services encompassing Consulting, Planning as a Service, Training, and Customer Success. Seamlessly optimize your airline’s operations across crew management, pairing, rostering, workforce planning, training, incident management, and beyond.

The comprehensive suite of consulting services includes:

  • Base Study – Tailored suggestions for an optimal basing structure aligned with operational and strategic needs.
  • Schedule Analysis – In-depth cost impact assessments through cutting-edge optimization and analytics for schedule modifications.
  • Rules Documentation – Clarity-driven support to interpret and integrate rules, enhancing safety and averting regulatory penalties.
  • Leave and Training Slot Calculations – Precision analyses to harmonize leave and training slots with crew requirements, flight volumes, and seasonal demands.
  • Post-Publish Change Audit – Thorough auditing to detect and rectify deviations between planned and actual processes.
  • Buffer Analysis – Strategic buffer creation to increase robustness of crew rosters and aircraft schedules, while maintaining efficiency.
  • Recovery Manager Calibration – CAE Recovery Manager calibration to fortify against delays and stay updated.
  • Delay and Standby Analysis – Identifying delay trends, causes, and maximizing standby utilization for enhanced efficiency.
  • Strategic Union Negotiation Analysis – Conducting comprehensive cost-benefit assessments for rule changes, union negotiations and regulatory adaptations.
  • Fatigue Management – Identifying fatigue patters and combinations within schedules using cutting-edge fatigue algorithm models, improving safety and crew satisfaction.

Source: CAE
Photo Credit: CAE

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US Aircraft Manufacturer Boeing Delivers 528 Commercial Airplanes, Records 1,576 Net Orders in 2023

Boeing delivered 528 commercial airplanes and recorded 1,576 net orders in 2023, the US aircraft manufacturer announced in its fourth-quarter results.

According to Boeing:

  • the 737 program continues to deliver airplanes and its production rate is now at 38 per month.
  • The 787 program production rate is now at five per month.

During the fourth quarter in 2023, commercial airplanes booked 611 net orders, including:

  • 411 737
  • 98 777X
  •  83 787

Commercial Airplanes delivered 157 airplanes during the quarter and backlog included over 5,600 airplanes.

Source: Excerpts from Boeing Reports

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VR Flight Training Solutions Provider, True Course Simulations, Unveils Solutions to Pilot Training Challenges

Flight training is a critical phase in the journey of aspiring pilots, and flight schools often encounter various challenges that can hinder their effectiveness. True Course Simulations, a pioneering company specializing in Virtual Reality (VR) flight training, offers innovative solutions to address these challenges, benefiting both students and flight schools alike.

Better Prepared Students
Flight schools want their students to be well-prepared for their flights. True Course Simulations achieves this by providing immersive VR training environments that allow students to practice and refine their skills in a safe and controlled setting. This ensures that students gain essential knowledge and confidence before they ever step into an actual aircraft.

Reduced Training Hours
Flight training can be expensive and time-consuming. True Course Simulations helps students achieve their licenses more efficiently by offering realistic VR scenarios that allow for repeated practice without the limitations of aircraft availability or weather conditions. This can significantly reduce the number of flight hours required for certification.

Shortage of Instructors and High Student Ratios
With VR training, flight schools can alleviate the burden of instructor shortages and high student-to-instructor ratios. Virtual instructors can guide multiple students simultaneously, offering personalized feedback and guidance, thereby improving the learning experience and ensuring more efficient progress.

Weather, Maintenance, and Instructor Availability
Aircraft downtime due to weather, maintenance, or instructor unavailability can disrupt training schedules. True Course Simulations mitigates these issues by offering consistent access to training scenarios regardless of external factors. This continuity ensures that students can maintain a steady learning pace.

Remedial Training
For students who require extra training or remediation, True Course Simulations provides an ideal platform. Students can revisit challenging scenarios, practice emergency procedures, and improve specific skills until they reach proficiency, all within a controlled and supportive VR environment.

Eliminating Gaps Between Flights
The gaps between flights, caused by various factors, can hinder student progress. With VR training, students can continue their learning and skill development during these downtime periods, ensuring that they stay engaged and retain what they’ve learned.

Emergency Training
True Course Simulations allows flight schools to simulate emergencies in a safe and controlled environment. Students can practice responding to critical situations, honing their decision-making skills and improving their ability to handle emergencies during actual flights.

Cost Reduction
The cost of flight training can be a barrier to aspiring pilots. VR training reduces costs associated with fuel, aircraft maintenance, and instructor fees. This can make flight training more affordable and accessible, helping students pursue their dreams of becoming pilots.

Reducing Carbon Emissions
Flight schools are increasingly concerned about environmental impact. By reducing the need for actual flight hours, True Course Simulations helps flight schools contribute to lower carbon emissions, aligning with sustainability goals and mandates.

Assessment and Readiness Insights
True Course Simulations offers flight schools valuable insights into their students’ abilities and readiness. Schools can track progress, identify areas for improvement, and ensure that only students truly prepared for flight are sent up in the air, maximizing safety and efficiency.

True Course Simulations provides a transformative solution to many of the challenges faced by flight schools. By leveraging virtual reality technology, they enhance training efficiency, reduce costs, and improve safety, ultimately helping students achieve their goals and ensuring flight schools can operate more effectively in a rapidly changing aviation landscape.

Source: True Course Simulations
Photo Credit: True Course Simulations

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Global Aviation Conglomerate and ACMI Provider Avia Solutions Group is Plotting an Order for More than 100 Aircraft

Dublin, Ireland headquartered Avia Solutions Group, the world’s largest ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) provider and operator of the global pilot training group BAA Training, operating a fleet of over 199 aircraft, is eyeing an aircraft order of 100 aircraft of either Airbus or Boeing – Irish media has reported following an interview with its Chairman.

In January 2023 Avia Solutions Group announced that it had signed a Share Purchase Agreement to acquire Australian airline, Skytrans. Skytrans is an Australian-owned and operated airline and air charter business. The airline operates Regular Public Transport (RPT) and charter services, with a current fleet spanning 13 regional aircraft.

Source: Irish Media
Photo Credit: Avia Solutions Group (shown as meta image)

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Aircraft Manufacturer Delivers 65 Agricultural Aircraft in 2023

Embraer’s Agricultural Aviation Division delivered 65 Ipanema airplanes in 2023, an increase of 18% compared to the previous year. As a result, in December, the company reached the milestone of 1,600 units produced and delivered over the aircraft’s five decades of uninterrupted production.

Since the launch of the new version of the EMB-203 model in 2020, the company has seen continuous growth in sales and plans to increase production to 70 planes this year.

“Agribusiness has a significant positive impact on Brazil’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and we are very pleased to see how the Ipanema has contributed to the sector’s high productivity, efficiency, and sustainability,” says Sany Onofre, Manager of Embraer’s Ipanema Program.

As the leader in the Brazilian aerial applications market, the Ipanema brings innovations and improvements that increase robustness with low operating costs and carbon emissions. The Ipanema is the only agricultural airplane certified and produced in series to fly on ethanol, a renewable energy source that provides increased power to the aircraft’s engine.

 About Embraer

A global aerospace company headquartered in Brazil, Embraer has businesses in Commercial and Executive aviation, Defense and Security, and Agricultural Aviation. The company designs, develops, manufactures, and markets aircraft and systems, providing Services and Support to customers after-sales.

Since it was founded in 1969, Embraer has delivered more than 8,000 aircraft. On average, about every 10 seconds an aircraft manufactured by Embraer takes off somewhere in the world, transporting over 145 million passengers a year.

Embraer is the leading manufacturer of commercial jets with up to 150 seats and the main exporter of high- value-added goods in Brazil. The company maintains industrial units, offices, service, and parts distribution centers, among other activities, across the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe.

Source: Embraer
Photo Credit: Embraer

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