A record of 4.4 billion people traveled by air in 2018.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), 4.4 billion passengers traveled on scheduled flights in 2018 which is an increase of 6.9%. This was due to the sharp reductions in the cost of air travel.
The report highlights that connectivity and efficiency had improved where 81.9% of all available airline seats were filled last year and the number of direct flights doubled between 1998 and 2017.
“Airlines are connecting more people and places than ever before. The freedom to fly is more accessible than ever. And our world is a more prosperous place as a result,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and CEO.
The development of low-cost carrier capacity continues to outpace growth among legacy airlines, while air travel in the Asia-Pacific region has continued to grow rapidly and now represents 37.1%, the IATA report said.
