Western Cape trade, tourism and investment promotion agency Wesgro has identified five key air travel trends for this year. These are, in the agency’s terminology and order, “the race to meet demand”, “promoting the African agenda”, “air cargo’s stabilising trajectory”, “a shift towards tangible sustainability”, and “the transformative effects of innovation”.

Regarding the first of these, the global air transport industry, both airlines and airports, saw robust growth last year. But capacity struggled to keep up, with delays in new aircraft deliveries and shortages of staff being issues. Higher fuel prices, driven by conflicts, were causing airlines to focus on higher-yielding routes.

Regarding Cape Town International Airport (CTIA), the agency hopes that its infrastructure will receive a “much needed” expansion. CTIA’s international passenger traffic hit a new record last year, of 2.8-million two-way passengers – a year-on-year increase of 48%. (The equivalent increase in domestic traffic was 16%.) Wesgro hopes that an announcement on CTIA will be made “soon”. It also notes the “interesting” private sector project to develop a Cape Winelands Airport.

Promoting the African agenda is centred on the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), a critical element of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and associated and supporting initiatives, including the International Air Transport Association’s Focus Africa. “By the end of 2023, 38 out of 54 African countries pledged participation in SAATM, representing more than 80% of Africa’s population,” noted Wesgro. “However, more still needs to be done as many issues remain like the absence of Fifth Freedom Traffic Rights between African countries or unnecessary costs and delays in issuing Foreign Operator Permits.”

Globally, the air cargo sector is expected to stabilise, with a supply and demand equilibrium, this year. However, this could be disrupted by international conflicts. “Closer to home, the congestion experienced at the Port of Cape Town has caused air cargo volumes to increase at CTIA, with many airlines reporting positive increases in air cargo volumes over December and January,” points out the agency. “Exporters and shippers of high-value fruit and perishables will continue to look for alternatives in 2024 of which air cargo, although more expensive, is a viable option.”

As for sustainability, the biggest single development currently is the move to replace fossil fuels with sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs). South Africa is well positioned to be a leader in SAFs, provided both government and industry give enough support to their production and deployment.   

Finally, there are the transformative effects of innovation. Globally, in aviation, innovation is focused on efficiency, passenger experience and sustainability. “In Africa, innovation is largely driven by critical infrastructure development and increased air connectivity,” highlights Wesgro. “The integration of airports into urban planning to create more interconnected cities is also taking centre stage.” Technologies being employed to transform the sector include artificial intelligence, data analytics, and the Internet of Things. As for aircraft, developments include electric propulsion and autonomous flight technology. African aviation is embracing and deploying these technologies.