Aviation creates jobs and drives economic growth. In 2014 airlines will safely transport 3.3 billion passengers and 52 million tonnes of cargo. This activity supports jobs for 58 million people worldwide. And airlines deliver over a third of the goods traded internationally by value—worth some $6.8 trillion.
For a broadly-defined Europe, aviation supports nearly 12 million jobs and some $860 billion of GDP. The benefits of connectivity can only be fully realized if airlines—the core of the aviation value chain—are strong. Financially, Europe’s airlines are the weakest amongst the world’s major regions. We expect European airlines to realize a post-tax net profit of $2.8 billion this year, for an average net profit margin of just 1.3%. That’s about $3.23 per passenger. More information on Economics.