Air Travel Increases in Demand – What It Means for Pilot Training

May 20, 2022

Airline fares are surging at record rates, rising 18.6% in April after experiencing a 10.7% increase in March. This represents the largest price increase we’ve seen since 1963. Based on the significant reduction in air travel over the last two years, you’d expect these surging prices to cripple the demand for air travel. However, nothing can be farther from the truth.

In spite of these rapidly soaring airfares, airlines are experiencing a much stronger and more rapid recovery than was expected. According to a report by the International Air Transport Association (IATA):

• Total demand for air travel increased 82.3% in January 2022 compared to January 2021
• Domestic travel increased 41.5% compared to the previous year
• International travel increased 165.6% compared to the previous year
• Airlines experienced a 148.8% rise in traffic in North America compared to the previous year
• Capacity increased 78% from the previous year
• Load factor increased 17% from the previous year

While these numbers are promising, air travel still remains significantly down from pre-pandemic levels. Air travel demand in January was still 49.6% lower than it was in January 2019. So we still have a long way to go before the airline industry has truly recovered from the devastating effects of the pandemic. However, the tremendous increase in demand experienced during the first few months of 2022 bodes well for an industry sorely in need of good news.

Why Is Air Travel Demand Increasing So Rapidly?

As COVID-19 slowly transitions from the pandemic phase to the endemic phase, many governments have been easing the policies that have crippled the airline industry over the past two years:

• Mask mandates have been removed at airports and on planes
• Travel restrictions have been lifted in many areas, making it easier for individuals to resume international travel

This, combined with an increasing number of people who are ready to resume normal life, has fueled this spike in demand. Many individuals have put travel plans on hold for two years and are experiencing a strong desire make up for lost time. This pent-up desire for travel has resulted in people booking flights in spite of surging prices.

What Does this Increase in Travel Demand Mean for Pilot Training?

During the peak of the pandemic, many airlines were forced to furlough pilots due to the severe drop in air travel. While some of these pilots had begun returning to work last year, many have either found other careers or were still waiting for their opportunity to be brought back.

With the surge in air travel experienced in early 2022, more pilots will be needed to meet this growing demand. Whether this infusion of staff comes from furloughed pilots or people embarking on a new pilot career, there will be an increased demand for training solutions that will enable these pilots to meet FAA and EASA regulations. In most instances, online aviation training provides the most efficient solution for airlines:

• Training costs are significantly lower due to the elimination of expenses associated with travel, lodging, training site, instructor salaries and physical materials
  
• Pilots can work through online materials at their own pace, enabling them to complete courses more rapidly than is possible when they must adhere to a set training schedule
  
• Customization of online courses allows airlines to easily modify training materials as needed to reflect changes in their policies, aircraft and federal regulations
  
• Pilot progress can easily be tracked, allowing airlines to evaluate the success of their training methods and identify areas for improvement
  
• Assessment data is easily shared with your team, facilitating the timely feedback pilots need to improve

Avsoft’s Online Aviation Training Courses Provide the Flexible Solutions You Need

If you need to upgrade your online aviation training courses to address the growing demand for airline travel, Avsoft can deliver the comprehensive course material you need. We’re the only pilot training innovators in the industry providing a FlexPlus™ Training Platform delivering a truly custom solution to achieve your specific goals.

You’ll experience a wide range of benefits from our FlexPlus™ Training Platform:

• Customized course content
• Full mobile experience – both online and offline
• The ability to create and deliver your own courses
• The ability to easily modify content as the need arises over time
• Exams with your questions and custom performance standards
• Customized reporting dashboards

In addition, you can run our courses on any LMS. If you’d like to use our delivery system, we make it easy to do. However, if you already use an LMS and prefer to run our courses on your existing system, you’ll have the ability to do so.

This exclusive platform results in smoother operations that will lead to greater company success.

Avsoft offers a 30-day free evaluation of our eLearning courses. Request a demo to find out how we can elevate the success of your training efforts.