ICAO chief expects aviation in Asia-Pacific region to fully recover by first half of 2024

SINGAPORE - The civil aviation sector in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels by the first half of 2024, said Mr Juan Carlos Salazar, secretary-general of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Talking to reporters on Tuesday, Mr Salazar said that recovery in the region has been “taking some more time” because some countries have not opened their markets as quickly as those in other regions due to their “internal policies and reasons”.

According to figures from the International Air Transport Association, Asia-Pacific’s air traffic – measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), which reflects passenger demand for air transport – for the first half of 2023 remained 20.3 per cent lower than levels in the first half of 2019, lagging behind as the region with the largest gap in RPK before and after the pandemic.

Comparatively, global air traffic was 9.7 per cent below traffic levels in the first half of 2019.

On the issue of sustainability, Mr Salazar said the Asia-Pacific region has “tremendous potential” to adopt sustainable aviation fuel – jet fuel made from waste materials such as used cooking oil and animal fats. 

This is due to the region’s abundance of feedstock, which are raw materials such as plant oils and agricultural waste that can be used to produce fuels, and some of its states having prior experience with producing alternative fuels, he told reporters on the sidelines of a five-day event hosted by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and organised by ICAO.

ICAO is a United Nations agency that sets global standards and practices for air transport operations

Mr Salazar said that aircraft manufacturers, airlines, airports and air navigation service providers across 187 member states who participated in ICAO’s 2022 assembly have declared a net-zero emissions goal for the aviation sector by 2050 – in line with the Paris Agreement.

In an upcoming conference on aviation and alternative fuels in November, ICAO will come up with a global road map that equips stakeholders in the aviation industry with the necessary incentives and greater clarity to decarbonise their operations, he said.

This will help ensure quicker adoption of sustainable aviation fuels and significant reduction in emissions, he added.

Mr Salazar said sustainable aviation fuels are the “strongest mechanisms” available to decarbonise the civil aviation sector as they are “proven solutions” utilised by existing aircraft.

Such fuels, he added, will reduce aviation emissions by approximately 65 per cent.

Asked about the challenges of decarbonising the aviation industry, he cited the high costs of transitioning to sustainable aviation fuels for the energy-producing sector as well as the civil aviation sector.

Other challenges include the lack of global access to sustainable aviation fuels and the absence of a platform that connects energy companies with consumers and investors.

Asked how Singapore can support decarbonisation efforts, Mr Salazar said the Republic is an “early adopter” in this area and recognised as a global hub for sustainable aviation fuel production.

Singapore is home to the world’s largest production facility for sustainable aviation fuel, Finnish energy giant Neste’s refinery in Tuas South, which can produce up to a million tonnes of such fuel each year.

Mr Salazar said that as a leading voice in ICAO’s global conversation on sustainability parameters and policies, Singapore has been sharing its experience with the organisation and its member states.

On Monday, the CAAS signed two air traffic agreements that will enable more direct and quicker flight routes through greater collaboration between airspace regulators.

Mr Salazar said these “trend-setting” agreements will deliver benefits that “go beyond saving a couple of minutes on a flight” and pave the way for similar collaborations within the Asia-Pacific and across other regions.

He added that ICAO is also creating platforms for air navigation service providers to collaborate and improve the efficiency of aviation operations in Asia-Pacific and beyond.