#IATA publishes latest airline business confidence survey

Key points:

• IATA’s latest survey of airlines CFOs and Heads of Cargo, conducted in early October, shows improvements in airline profitability continued in Q3. Respondents are also optimistic about profits in the next twelve months, indicating that the improvements in the bottom line may extend further.
• Large majorities of respondents reported improving passenger and cargo volumes in Q3 2021 compared to Q3 2020, and they also expect this to continue on both sides of the business for the twelve months ahead.
• While there were positive signs on the employment levels of respondents, workforces remain significantly smaller then prior to the crisis, and 47% of respondents expect no changes from a low base.
• 47% of respondents said their input costs rose in Q3 2021 year-on-year, driven by higher fuel prices, labour costs and supplier prices.
• A thin majority (52%) of surveyed airlines posted an increase in passenger yields in Q3 year-on-year, the first such majority since 2018. On the cargo side, respondents pointed to strong yields, both in recent months and looking forward. Combined with strong cargo volumes, this indicates that cargo revenues are expected to remain very supportive for airlines in the next twelve months.

View full report