Hundreds of millions more Chinese take to skies

Taking to the skies: the Chinese demand for air travel is expected to rocket over the next two years

11 April 2012

Booming demand for travel from China will help the aviation industry gain another 800 million passengers over the next two years, the International Air Transport Association predicted today.

IATA expects there to be 3.3 billion air travellers by 2014, up by almost a third on the 2.5 billion carried in 2009. It reckons that the fastest-growing markets for international air travel will be China, followed by the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.

"The world will continue to become more mobile," said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA's director general.

"In five years we need to be able to handle 800 million more passengers and 12.5 million more tonnes of international cargo.

"To realize the economic growth potential that this will bring we will need even more efficient air traffic management, airport facilities and security programmes. Industry and governments will be challenged to work together even more closely."

Gatwick Airport today said it enjoyed a 4.8% jump in underlying passenger numbers in January.

The London airport saw 2.1 million travellers during the month, when it also started launching new operations with Air Berlin, which is now flying to Hanover and Nuremberg from Gatwick.

Chief executive Stewart Wingate said: "We are delighted to be seeing increased volumes."