Prague - Eco-warriors might not like to hear this but Central European holiday-makers are projected to increase the use of airplanes in the near future to get to their desired place of rest.
The number of passengers is expected to triple over the next 20 years, claims the latest analysis made by travel and transport company Icelandair Group, owner of a Czech transport agency Travel Service.
The study made available to Aktualne.cz uses also data of the International Civic Aviation Organization (ICAO).
However, the number of planes will increase only 2.5 times. Experts believe that bigger aircrafts will then be used and these will be more filled than they are now.
Global phenomenon
Reports of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Eurocontrol published at the beginning of this year inform that the trend of growing demand for air travel is global.
In November 2007, airliners were filled on average up to 75.4 per cent, which is an increase of more than one per cent if compared with the previous year´s data.
The IATA study also states that global demand for air travel had risen by 9.3 per cent, and by 7.6 per cent in Europe.
Eurocontrol informed that 10 million airliners flew over Europe in 2007. This means that the traffic grew by 5.3 per cent since 2006, said Richard Klíma, a spokesman of Air Navigation Services of the Czech Republic.
East Asia the place to be
Eastern Europe and Asia, too, are to experience rapid growth of demand for air travel. Above all, traffic between Europe and East Asia should grow by 134 per cent in the next eight years.
Far East is attractive not only for businessmen due to its economic boom, but for holidaymakers as well. Besides, this year's Beijing Olympic Games will significantly raise the demand for travelling to the region.
It is apparent that more and more passengers will be transported by large-capacity airliners such as A380.
Low-cost carriers expand
Soon, the world will welcome new low-cost air carrier companies. On short- and middle-distance routes, they already represent significant competition for "traditional" carriers.
"This trend started in 2000, when low-cost companies had a 4 or 5 per cent share in total air travel. Last year, it was already 22 per cent," said Klíma.
Experts speculate about the share being 50 per cent in eight years.
There is also a major shift in demographics underway: initially, low-cost carriers were predominantly a choice of students and young tourists. At the moment as much as one third of their passengers are commercial travelers, as confirmed by representatives of British easyJet or multi-based Central European SkyEurope.
