The post The Inexorable Growth In Air Travel And It’s Implication appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 27: A general view of the Eiffel Tower at dusk as the Olympic Rings are displayed during previews ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on June 27, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images) Getty Images One of the foundational facts of commercial air travel is that the number of people flying globally is closely linked to world Gross Domestic Product. That is as the economy continues to grow over time, so does the demand for air transportation and by extension, the need for new aircraft to fulfill that demand as well as to replace older aircraft that are economically obsolete. Dips in world GDP, occasioned by recessions (dot-com bubble, fiscal crisis), pandemics (SARS, COVID) or wars (Ukraine, 9/11) can disrupt the monotonic increase of air travel demand, but eventually the curve reverts to the mean. In this case, that mean is roughly 4 per cent year over year, and world Revenue Passenger Miles (RPM’s) – a paying passenger travelling a mile – have recently returned to pre-pandemic levels. Most of those RPM’s are utilized for leisure travel which is estimated to make up as much as 85% or more of miles flown. Business passengers are only around 12 to 15% of overall travel but they are vastly more profitable, making up as much as 75% of profits for a given flight. This is because business travelers tend to purchase premium seats, often make last minute changes which incur fees or higher prices and spend more on amenities. A more recent development has been the blending of business and leisure travel to create a category called “bleisure.” While adding a few days at a destination that was the focus of a business event for personal reasons has always existed, the category has expanded… The post The Inexorable Growth In Air Travel And It’s Implication appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 27: A general view of the Eiffel Tower at dusk as the Olympic Rings are displayed during previews ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on June 27, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images) Getty Images One of the foundational facts of commercial air travel is that the number of people flying globally is closely linked to world Gross Domestic Product. That is as the economy continues to grow over time, so does the demand for air transportation and by extension, the need for new aircraft to fulfill that demand as well as to replace older aircraft that are economically obsolete. Dips in world GDP, occasioned by recessions (dot-com bubble, fiscal crisis), pandemics (SARS, COVID) or wars (Ukraine, 9/11) can disrupt the monotonic increase of air travel demand, but eventually the curve reverts to the mean. In this case, that mean is roughly 4 per cent year over year, and world Revenue Passenger Miles (RPM’s) – a paying passenger travelling a mile – have recently returned to pre-pandemic levels. Most of those RPM’s are utilized for leisure travel which is estimated to make up as much as 85% or more of miles flown. Business passengers are only around 12 to 15% of overall travel but they are vastly more profitable, making up as much as 75% of profits for a given flight. This is because business travelers tend to purchase premium seats, often make last minute changes which incur fees or higher prices and spend more on amenities. A more recent development has been the blending of business and leisure travel to create a category called “bleisure.” While adding a few days at a destination that was the focus of a business event for personal reasons has always existed, the category has expanded…

The Inexorable Growth In Air Travel And It’s Implication

2025/10/06 19:22

PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 27: A general view of the Eiffel Tower at dusk as the Olympic Rings are displayed during previews ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on June 27, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Getty Images

One of the foundational facts of commercial air travel is that the number of people flying globally is closely linked to world Gross Domestic Product. That is as the economy continues to grow over time, so does the demand for air transportation and by extension, the need for new aircraft to fulfill that demand as well as to replace older aircraft that are economically obsolete.

Dips in world GDP, occasioned by recessions (dot-com bubble, fiscal crisis), pandemics (SARS, COVID) or wars (Ukraine, 9/11) can disrupt the monotonic increase of air travel demand, but eventually the curve reverts to the mean. In this case, that mean is roughly 4 per cent year over year, and world Revenue Passenger Miles (RPM’s) – a paying passenger travelling a mile – have recently returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Most of those RPM’s are utilized for leisure travel which is estimated to make up as much as 85% or more of miles flown. Business passengers are only around 12 to 15% of overall travel but they are vastly more profitable, making up as much as 75% of profits for a given flight. This is because business travelers tend to purchase premium seats, often make last minute changes which incur fees or higher prices and spend more on amenities.

A more recent development has been the blending of business and leisure travel to create a category called “bleisure.” While adding a few days at a destination that was the focus of a business event for personal reasons has always existed, the category has expanded as a result of the pandemic where remote work was normalized and schedules became more flexible.

The result has been for airlines to expand their offerings away from a three class system (First, Business, Economy) to more gradations such as First, Premium Economy, Economy Plus or Comfort Plus and Coach. This allowed airlines to match their service and price offerings to capture the willingness of the flying public to pay for something in between First Class and steerage.

People gathering at the Colosseum monument in Rome on April 7, 2023, prior to the Way of the Cross (Via Crucis) prayer service as part of celebrations of the Holy Week. (Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP) (Photo by ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP via Getty Images)

AFP via Getty Images

Another effect of the rebound in air travel has been the strain on popular destinations. Coming out of the pandemic, people pulled out their “bucket lists” and engaged in “revenge travel.” As a result iconic sites, such as the Coliseum, the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre drew record crowds to their host countries.

For the last 30 years, France has been the most popular tourist destination representing 8% of global tourism with over 100 million visitors. Spain, US, Italy and Turkey round out the top five destination countries. China which had been in the top five before the pandemic has dropped lower due to travel restrictions and reduced preference.

However, there are only so many “A list” sites to be visited, while the travel push continues to grow. A result of the ever increasing swell of tourists to a finite set of iconic destinations has been “overtourism.” To combat the crowding and destruction, many locations have instituted tourist caps, time entry reservations, fees, activity bans and restrictions on accommodations.

ATHENS, GREECE – JULY 20: Atop the Acropolis ancient hill with Parthenon temple during a heat wave on July 20, 2023 in Athens, Greece. The Acropolis of Athens and other archaeological sites in Greece announced reduced opening hours due to the heatwave conditions. (Photo by Milos Bicanski/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Mount Fuji has instituted a daily visitor cap as well as a hiking fee. Popular US National Parks such as Yosemite and Glacier use caps and reservation systems. The Acropolis uses timed entry permits as well as the restored Notre Dame in Paris. Florence has instituted a ban on short term rentals in its historic city center and Machu Pichu closed the site for a period due to concerns regarding deterioration from high foot traffic.

This problem is only going to become more severe as the 4% increase year over year funnels more visitors to the limited set of high profile locations. One reaction is to move to new sites (such as Croatia, Norway, India, Cambodia). Another is to shift away from the high summer season.

Traditional summer locations such as Cape Cod, the Hamptons or Jackson Hole have seen increases in visitors during shoulder seasons. The tremendous heat during the summer in Europe in 2025 has made visiting in fall much more attractive. Visitors are motivated by a less crowded, more authentic experience as well as concerns regarding the environment and sustainability.

Passion based travel – fueled by social media posts – has also prompted shifts away from the traditional sites and focused on more remote or less well known destinations and is often associated with special events or festivals.

Studies show that as income rises, a population begins to travel – for both business and leisure reasons. The good news is that commercial aircraft, which currently have a delivery backlog of seven years or more, will stay in high demand. The bad news is that the strain on passengers, airports and tourist destinations will not abate any time soon, if ever.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jerroldlundquist/2025/10/06/the-inexorable-growth-in-air-travel-and-its-implication/

Disclaimer: The articles reposted on this site are sourced from public platforms and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the views of MEXC. All rights remain with the original authors. If you believe any content infringes on third-party rights, please contact [email protected] for removal. MEXC makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content and is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided. The content does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice, nor should it be considered a recommendation or endorsement by MEXC.

You May Also Like

Pound Sterling softens as traders eye BoE rate cut next week

Pound Sterling softens as traders eye BoE rate cut next week

The post Pound Sterling softens as traders eye BoE rate cut next week appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. The GBP/USD pair trades in negative territory near 1.3365 during the early European trading hours on Thursday, pressured by the rebound in the US Dollar (USD). Nonetheless, the potential downside might be limited after the US Federal Reserve (Fed) delivered a rate cut at its December policy meeting. Traders brace for the US weekly Initial Jobless Claims report, which will be published later on Thursday.  Markets continue to digest the largely anticipated rate cut by the Fed on Wednesday. The US central bank reduced its key interest rate for the third time in a row at its December meeting but signaled that it may leave rates unchanged in the coming months. Two Fed officials voted to keep the rate unchanged, while Stephen Miran, whom Trump appointed in September, voted for a larger rate cut. During the press conference, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said central bankers need time to see how the three reductions this year work their way through the US economy. Powell added that he will closely examine incoming data leading up to the next meeting in January. The Fed’s economic projections suggested one rate cut will take place next year, although new data could change this. On the other hand, the prospect of the Bank of England (BoE) rate reductions could drag the Pound Sterling (GBP) lower against the Greenback. Financial markets are now pricing in nearly an 88% chance of the BoE rate cut next week after signs from economic data that inflation pressure has eased.  Pound Sterling FAQs The Pound Sterling (GBP) is the oldest currency in the world (886 AD) and the official currency of the United Kingdom. It is the fourth most traded unit for foreign exchange (FX) in the world, accounting for 12% of all transactions, averaging $630 billion a day, according to 2022…
Share
BitcoinEthereumNews2025/12/11 13:40