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What we are Reading… Air Traffic’s Terrible Year – 2009
The full-year for 2009 statistical round up indicates a decline in passenger numbers that is the worst in at least fifty years.
Passenger numbers for 2009 was down 3.5 per cent. Freight declined 10.1 per cent over the year. Demand fell sharply in 2009. Passenger numbers show signs of growth for 2010, but “Profitability will be even slower to recover and airlines will lose an expected US$5.6 billion in 2010,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.
“The industry starts 2010 with some enormous challenges. The worst is behind us, but it is not time to celebrate. Adjusting to 2.5-3.5 years of lost growth means that airlines face another spartan year focused on matching capacity carefully to demand and controlling costs,” said Bisignani.
“Governments and industry are aligned in the priority that we place on security. But the cost of security is also an issue. Globally, airlines spend US$5.9 billion a year on what are essentially measures concerned with national security. This is the responsibility of governments, and they should be picking up the bill,” said Bisignani.
Source: travelhotnews.com
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