The International Air Travel Association (IATA) said that total airline passenger traffic in February 2023 (measured in revenue passenger kilometres or RPKs) rose 55.5 per cent compared to February 2022. Globally, traffic is now at 84.9 per cent of February 2019 levels. Global air cargo demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers, fell 7.5 per cent compared to February 2022. But February demand for air cargo was 2.9 per cent higher than pre-pandemic levels in February 2019 — the first time it has surpassed pre-pandemic levels in eight months. Domestic passenger traffic for February rose 25.2 per cent compared to the same period a year ago. Total domestic traffic in February 2023 was at 97.2 per cent of the February 2019 level. International air traffic also climbed 89.7 per cent versus February 2022 with all markets recording strong growth, led once again by carriers in the Asia-Pacific region.
‘Check unruly passengers’
The International Air Transport Association has welcomed the United Arab Emirates’ ratification of the Montreal Protocol 2014, a move that will strengthen the global legal deterrent against unruly and disruptive passenger incidents onboard flights. Unruly and disruptive passenger incidents on board flights include physical assault, harassment, smoking or failing to follow crew instructions. These incidents may compromise flight safety, cause significant delays and operational disruption, and adversely impact the travel experience and work environment for passengers and crew.
Port economics
A data by International Association of Ports and Harbours in is latest World Ports Tracker Report on volumes confirms the end of the global supply chain crunch, with the last quarter seeing a drop in average call sizes in all port regions compared to the third quarter of 2022. The most pronounced is in North America with a fall of 15.9 per cent; Latin America (-8.5 per cent) and Northern Europe (-8.3 per cent). A third of the global ports in the survey reported a major container terminal expansion in 2023, with a quarter reporting expansions in dry bulk and multi-purpose cargo terminal space.