Infrastructure and sustainability: Two sides of the coin for the future of aviation

Aviation is a powerful force in our world. The extent of our current role can be summed up in three numbers: 22,000, 64 million and 4.3 billion. Firstly, 22,000 is the number of city-pairs the industry now services worldwide, connecting communities on every continent. Secondly, 64 million is the tonnage of freight which is transported around the world each year – equivalent to one third of the value of all global trade, and 4.3 billion is the number of passengers carried by airlines last year.

Aviation provides people with the ability to connect and build communities in ways that were not possible before. It underpins the success of businesses by giving them freedom to sell their goods in global markets. It is a driver of an even more inclusive globalisation that will make our world more prosperous.

By 2037, we estimate passenger numbers could be double what they are today. Serving that demand will mean overcoming a number of major challenges. Two of our biggest concerns are infrastructure and sustainability.