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Global airline association reports quiet 2024 for new airlines and exits
February 12th 2025
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said overnight 28 new airlines took flight in 2024 and 19 carriers ended operations in the 12 months. Read More » “This marks the lowest number in a decade for both new entrants and exits and may signal temporary market stabilisation,” IATA said. “The low number of new airline entrants can be attributed to a combination of economic, supply chain, and geopolitical challenges.” Asia-Pacific and Europe were the leading regions for airline launches, both in 2024 and in the last decade, IATA said, underpinned by market liberalisation and robust economic growth. Of the 19 airlines that shut down in the 12 months, seven were LCCs, 11 were “traditional airlines” as described by IATA and one was a cargo carrier. “Only three cases involved transformation and mergers. The remaining airlines exited the market because of financial difficulties and intense competition,” IATA said.