Last Thursday, July 13, 137,225 commercial flights were counted by the Flightradar24 website.This was the busiest day ever for commercial aviation, beating last week's record of 3,000 flights. At certain times of the day, more than 20,000 flights were counted operating at the same time. It should be noted that this figure does not include military flights or certain private flights.
Ironically, the week also made news with the hottest day ever recorded on Earth, with an average of 17.23°C.
Air traffic resumes after health crisis
Airlines had seen the number of bookings take off after the health crisis. In May, they were close to their pre-crisis levels, with 96% of same-month bookings in 2019. But the recovery is now at a record high. On July 13, more than 137,000 commercial flights were registered by the site Flight radar 24 which tracks these aerial activities on a daily basis.
The busiest for commercial aviation
It was "the busiest day for commercial aviation we've ever seen"notes the website, which was set up in 2007, on Twitter.
13 July - another record day for for commercial flights. Yesterday we tracked 137,225 commercial flights, surpassing last Thursday's total of 134,396. pic.twitter.com/63POgPdqV4
- Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) July 14, 2023
Impact on companies
Global air traffic overload is not without consequences for airlines and travelers alike. EasyJet has announced that it will cancel 1,700 flights between July and September due to this overload.. Other airlines could also be affected by this exceptional situation, with possible delays and cancellations.
Market saturation and traveler expectations
The market is saturated, and travelers don't seem ready to give up their trips. On the flightradar24.comThe world map is covered with a multitude of tiny points of light representing each aircraft in flight. On Thursday July 13, it was even difficult to make out the borders of certain countries, so numerous were they.
What's the outlook for the future?
As air traffic picks up and the number of flights continues to grow, it is essential to find solutions to manage this influx. Technological innovations could improve traffic management and reduce the environmental impact of CO2 emissions. At the same time, travellers may have to adapt their expectations and opt for other modes of transport where possible.
Meeting environmental challenges
The aviation sector also has to contend with major environmental challengesThis is particularly true in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution. New technologies, such as electric aircraft and alternative fuels, could help reduce the ecological impact of air transport. But the exponential growth in the number of flights certainly makes these innovations all the more urgent.
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