According to IATA, global connectivity has recovered to almost 100%

01-08-23

According to the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) latest quarterly air connectivity analysis, most of the world's countries have reached or exceeded their pre-pandemic levels of connectivity.

The assessment compiles the number of seats available to each destination, which is then weighted by the size of the destination airport. This provides an indicator of the economic importance of the destination airport and the number of onward connections it can provide.

The connectivity measure is therefore an indicator of the ease with which a country can be reached, which in turn translates into the propensity to link business, access education and provide a strong platform for tourism.

Comparing connectivity levels between Q2 2019 and the same period in 2023 shows how close the global aviation industry has come to full recovery.

Several countries in Central America, Asia and Africa have already reached Q2 2019 connectivity levels.

Recovery in Europe has been mixed, with countries such as Germany, Finland and Sweden remaining below 80% connectivity levels compared to 2019. This may be related to some changes in short-haul travel patterns and also to the closure of Russian airspace to European airlines.

Meanwhile, some Southeast Asian countries, such as Indonesia and the Philippines, are approaching the 90% connectivity recovery mark, a delay resulting from the relatively recent reopening of the important China market in the first quarter of 2023. The international body forecasts further improvement in connectivity to and within this region in the coming months.

"Particularly strong performance has been seen in Africa, where connectivity in several countries now exceeds that of 2019. While the level of connectivity remains below that of many 'developed' economies, the strong and rapid recovery in connectivity generates a positive impact, a message of the region's growing importance and favourable prospects for economic growth and development in the coming years," IATA said.