5 Important Things to Expect from Aviation in 2022

The New Year is here, and we’ve had a rocky start with the Omicron variety of COVID-19. However, there is cautious optimism about growth in the aviation industry over the next 12 months.

We anticipate that passenger demand for air travel will continue to recover in 2022. As restrictions ease and vaccination rates increase, we expect to see more confidence to travel.

Advancements in technologies and a global interest in smarter, safer, cleaner and more sustainable travel will also have an impact over the course of this year.

Here’s 5 things of what you can expect from aviation 2022:

Focus on sustainability 

In her New Year’s address, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced she wanted to “make flying green“. Now Denmark is aiming for a 70% cut in overall carbon emissions by 2030 when compared to 1990 levels.

There is continued pressure on the aviation sector to make sustainability a priority. Airlines will need to explore and extend the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) made from vegetable oil, while further investigation into other alternatives (electrical and hydrogen) will also occur.

There is also discussion about moving towards a so-called ‘zero-waste airline‘, with airline companies making efforts to reduce and eventually eliminate the waste created in aircraft cabins.

Increased freight demand

The last two years have seen a significant increase in freight activity to Australia. This increase in air cargo demand can be linked to an our need for medical supplies, along with changing consumer habits. As a result, many airlines are rethinking their cargo capacity and making changes to their fleets and craft.

Passenger safety and wellbeing

As passengers get back to travelling for family, business and recreational purposes, the industry will be forced to think about risk reduction and mitigation strategies to keep passengers and crew as safe as possible.

Carriers, for instance, may think about ramping up cleaning protocols and ensure high functionality in air filtration systems. Immigration and entry processes will also need to be reviewed and refined to be able to cope with the need for vaccination documentation and health checks.

Growth in low-cost airlines

Not even a global pandemic has put off the hundreds of would-be startup airlines out there. While it might take a while for the long-haul flight market to recover, domestic and short-haul flights are anticipated to recover more quickly.

New airlines that were successfully launched in 2021 included Avelo, Breeze, Flyr and PLAY, and AeroTime. A study undertaken in June last year suggested there would be more than 130 startup airlines launched before the end of 2022. Regardless of the distance, passengers will only become more accustomed to travelling in smaller format aircraft.

Future aircraft tech

There will always be an interest in implementing the newest and cutting-edge technologies into our aircraft. Particular areas of opportunity include unpiloted aircraft, drone technology, modifications to aircraft shape and design.

However you are involved with the aviation industry, you can anticipate some significant changes when it comes to the things to expect from aviation in 2022.