IATA survey of airline and cargo bosses saw Q2 profits rise

An IATA survey found that more than three-quarters of airline chief financial officers and heads of cargo indicated that profitability increased in the second quarter of 2017 compared to the same period of 2016.
However, IATA added that the first quarter may have marked the bottom of the industry profitability cycle.
The airline and cargo executives were surveyed in early-July for IATA’s quarterly business confidence index.
Said IATA: “Industry heads were markedly more confident about the outlook for profitability over the year ahead than they have been in recent surveys, mainly reflecting expectations that the demand backdrop will remain robust.
“Once again, the survey responses were consistent with the strong opening to 2017 for both passenger and freight volumes.”
Given the broad-based pick-up in global economic conditions, more than four-fifths of respondents expect passenger volumes to rise over the next 12 months, while the majority of respondents expect airfreight volumes to continue their positive growth trend over the year ahead too.
Half of the respondents reported a decrease in operating costs in the second quarter compared to a year ago, in part reflecting efficiency gains and optimization efforts by airlines.
Added IATA: “While 19% of respondents still expect unit costs to rise over the year ahead, the overall outlook for unit costs was weaker than in previous surveys.
“Meanwhile, responses on the yield side were consistent with the bottoming out in passenger yields, and upward trend in freight yields, that we have observed in recent months; 43% of respondents reported higher passenger yields in Q2 2017 compared to a year ago – the highest proportion in nearly six years.”
Airline employment activity increased for the tenth consecutive quarter in Q2 2017. Some 44% of respondents reported that they expect to increase employment levels over the year ahead.

Share this story

Related Topics

Latest airlines news

Avianca Cargo increases capacity to Miami

Avianca Cargo will increase its cargo capacity to Miami by 20% by the end of this year as it continues…

Read More

Share this story

FAA certifies Embraer’s E190 freighter conversion

Embraer’s E190 converted freighter has been given a major boost by gaining certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)….

Read More

Share this story

European Cargo expands operations to Cardiff Airport

UK freighter operator European Cargo is expanding its operations to Cardiff International Airport with the addition of new flights to…

Read More

Share this story

Air Cargo News

Air Cargo News
Established in 1983, Air Cargo News is the leading source of news, information, interviews, analyses and reports to the global airfreight industry. Our leading portfolio includes print, digital and events that give businesses in the airfreight industry the ability to connect with decision-makers in this sector.