Air Travel is bouncing back in the Middle East, as the aviation sector is showing signs of recovery, with air traffic increasing by 238% in the area and 79% internationally in 2021.
In April, Middle East carriers saw a 265% growth in demand year over year, surpassing the 252.7% increase seen in March 2022 vs the same time last year. The capacity of Middle Eastern airlines increased by 101% in April 2022 compared to the previous year, while their load factor increased by 32.2 percentage points to 71.7%.
Meanwhile, Covid rules are easing up around the region, with Saudi and Qatar lifting travel restrictions. This year Doha's Hamad International Airport is expecting a footfall of 34 to 36 million passengers, almost double the numbers from last year, for the attendance of the World Cup. Several Middle Eastern carriers will operate dozens of flights to and from Doha on match days; during this time, Qatar will use both its old Doha International Airport and the newer Hamad International Airport to manage traffic.
Why it matters
In preparation for the coming months, Qatar Airways has decided to host the 78th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in Doha. The IATA AGM will be held in Doha from June 19 to 21, 2022, and will bring together the aviation industry's top leaders to discuss the changing political, economic, and technological realities that face air travel as it recovers from the Covid-19 epidemic.
