Thanks to the drop in oil prices and the parallel increase in air traffic International airlines are expected to post $33 billion in net profits this year, the highest level ever achieved to date. These are the latest estimates issued by Iata, the world air transport association which includes 260 companies, 83% of the total.
The estimate is 3,7 billion dollars higher than the one released six months ago, when Iata itself had spoken of 29,3 billion in profits. Compared to 2014, the improvement should be almost 17 billion, since last year overall net profits had stopped at 16,4 billion euros. Furthermore, in 2016, the association expects profits of 36,4 billion, a new record which, however, could be questioned by some critical issues, such as the impact of the recent terrorist attacks which, according to Iata, caused a slowdown in flight bookings to Asia.
Going into detail, it was above all the North American airlines that recorded an increase in net profits, for which profits are estimated at 19,4 billion in 2015 and 19,2 billion in 2016. As regards Europe, the estimate has risen to 6,9 billion from the 5,8 billion expected six months ago. In 2016, European companies are expected to generate 8,5 billion in net profits. Asia-Pacific airlines follow with profits of $5,9 billion in 2015. Middle Eastern airlines, on the other hand, according to forecasts, should report a drop in profits to $1,4 billion, $400 million less than estimates by June. To weigh the conflicts of the area. In the red Latin America and Africa, with losses of 300 million dollars.
Unfortunately it should be noted that, according to IATA, among the loss-making companies there is also Alitalia which this year foresees a loss of 200 million euros.
