Airline CFOs have expressed optimism about the outlook for passenger and cargo volumes as we enter 2022, according to research into business confidence undertaken by the International Air Transport Association (Iata).
In his remarks at a press briefing last week, Iata Director General Willie Walsh said business confidence had been generally positive through the latter part of 2021.
As in 2020, cargo was once again the star performer – and while some see these volumes coming down slightly, it’s off a very high base, with cargo operating at record levels.
“So it's been very good through the year – and that's not to say we're pessimistic about cargo in 2022. Quite the opposite, in fact we're optimistic. But we are at a significant high.
“We ended the year generally in better shape than we started the year going into 2022,” said Walsh, who believes there will be a short-term impact as a result of government restrictions in response to the Omicron variant.
“But more and more governments are, I think, reviewing those restrictions. And we're pleased to see that some - if not all of those - are beginning to be relaxed or removed. And I think that's a positive indication for the industry in terms of what's likely to happen with short-term bookings.
