Estimates for air transport profits drop to 4 billion dollars. The data was announced (during the 67th Assembly on world air transport) by Giovanni Bisigniani, managing director and managing director of Iata, the international association that brings together 230 carriers.
The increase in fuel prices determines the negative revision of the forecast. “For 2011 the average oil price should be $110 a barrel,” the manager said. "For every additional average dollar, companies face additional costs of 1,6 billion dollars: considering that 50% of the needs are covered at 2010 price levels, the bill for the sector will rise to 176 billion".
The cost of fuel represents 30% of the expenses incurred by the airlines, an exorbitant figure if compared to the 2001 figure, where fuel accounted for 13% of the budgets. Bisignani did not fail to underline the enormous efforts made in the last 10 years: "In 2001 - he said - to make a profit, the price of fuel should have been 25 dollars a barrel, today we are able to make a minimum profit at a very higher". The data, according to the IATA, demonstrates the solidity of the sector affected, among other things, by the earthquake in Japan and the riots in North Africa and the Middle East.
