Changi Aviation Summit 2026 Speech – Willie Walsh, IATA Director General

At the Changi Aviation Summit 2026, IATA Director General Willie Walsh highlighted strong industry recovery in 2025, with global passenger traffic up 5.3%, international traffic rising 7.1%, domestic traffic up 2.5%, and cargo growing 3.4%. He emphasized sustainability, profitability, and supply chain resilience as key priorities for 2026.

Passenger Traffic Growth (2025):
- Overall traffic increased 5.3%.
- International traffic: +7.1% (measured in revenue passenger kilometers).
- Domestic traffic: +2.5%, accounting for ~37% of global RPKs.

Cargo Performance:
- Grew 3.4%, exceeding early forecasts.

Profitability Outlook:
- Airlines achieved stronger-than-expected financial results in 2025.
- Walsh noted that while recovery is robust, margins remain tight, requiring efficiency improvements.

Supply Chain & Operations:
- Walsh stressed the importance of resilient supply chains and operational reliability to support growth.

Sustainability Focus:
- Continued push for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
- Emphasis on scaling sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and new technologies.

Strategic Implications
- For Airlines: Strong demand recovery offers opportunities, but cost pressures and sustainability requirements demand innovation.
- For Airports (like Changi): Increased traffic highlights the need for infrastructure investment and efficiency.
- For Passengers: More flight options and improved connectivity, though ticket prices may reflect rising fuel and sustainability costs.

Walsh’s speech underscores that the airline industry has moved past the COVID crisis into a phase of growth and transformation, with sustainability and resilience at the core of future strategies.