Airlines urged to brace for surge in summer travels
The aviation sector must gear up for the surge in travels this summer by addressing the supply chain issues that have grounded aircraft and caused flight delays, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said.
IATA director general Willie Walsh, in a recent statement, said that carriers must have the capacity to handle the anticipated heavier volume as passengers fly to their favorite holiday destinations.
“Demand for travel is strong. And there is every indication that this should continue into the peak northern summer travel season,” he explained. Northern summer, or summer time for the globe’s northern hemisphere, usually occurs from June to August.
The IATA report that Asia-Pacific region continued to show the busiest operation across the globe, recently showing 38.5-percent uptick in demand in March.
Locally, the passenger volume at Ninoy Aquino International Airport grew by 12 percent to 12.14 million in the first quarter from 10.86 million in the same period last year.
“It is critical that we have the capacity to meet this demand and ensure a hassle-free travel experience for passengers. That means making urgent progress to resolve supply chain issues and for airports and air traffic management to be fully staffed and operating at maximum efficiency,” Walsh said.
The aviation sector has been grappling with the lack of spare parts necessary to perform maintenance activities of aircraft, resulting in these jets remaining idle for a longer period. This scenario has put a pressure on aircraft availability, prompting flight delays and cancellations that inconvenience airline passengers. INQ
