Global flight demand on the rise

International demand for passenger flights rose by 5.5 per cent in the year to May, according to new figures.

The Middle East led the growth with a 16.9 per cent rise in demand, followed by Africa (11.2 per cent) and the Asia Pacific (5.1 per cent), the statistics from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) revealed.

With load factors also up during the 12 months to May, Giovanni Bisignani, director-general and chief executive of the IATA, claimed the industry is set to see solid profit growth and an increase in fuel-efficient flights.

He said that high load factors are boosting airlines' environmental credits and combined with "impressive" investment in eco-friendly aircraft, the sector "is on target for a projected 25 per cent increase in fuel efficiency by 2020".

Paul Charles of Virgin Atlantic recently claimed that the airline is different to its competitors in that it is seeking to become more environmentally-friendly by developing green technology rather than relying on carbon offsetting schemes.

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