Air traffic improved by 77.8% in 2022 compared to the previous year, reaching 72% of the pre-pandemic level (2019) and in line with global indicators, according to data provided by Lusa this Monday.
According to the Civil Aviation Agency (AAC) regulatory report, 2022 continued to be a year of recovery in the sector, where signs of improvement began to be seen, however, in most cases, they did not reach preliminary levels. – Covid-19 pandemic.
“In this context, a big challenge for the national aviation sector was to ensure the mobility of passengers between the islands and create conditions for the development of international air traffic,” said the Cape Verdean regulator.
Globally, Cape Verde’s civil aviation sector posted a recovery last year, according to AAC, with the reopening of borders resulting in a 77.8% improvement in air traffic compared to the previous year.
During the period under review, air travel reached 72% of pre-pandemic levels, in line with global figures, with 25,400 aircraft handled.
In terms of passengers served, AAC found that last year there was a recovery of approximately 162.3% from the previous year, with 2,177,611 passengers.
The Cape Verdean agency justified the data mainly with a 210.3% increase in international passengers, to 1,683,160, while national passenger numbers increased by 71.8%, to 494,451.
“The number of passengers served in 2022 reached 78.6% of the pre-pandemic level, indicating a clear recovery,” the AAS stressed.
In terms of cargo traffic, the same source noted that it is showing signs of a slower recovery, up 14.4% from the previous year, 42.8% below pre-pandemic levels.
The volume of mail processed increased by 16.7% compared to the previous year, reaching 78.9% from the level before the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a communication accompanying the report, the board of directors indicated that during 2022 AAC was involved in various activities such as the registration of three aircraft, two from Transportes Interilhas de Cabo Verde (TICV) and one from Transportadora Aérea de Cabo Verde (TACV).
As well as the TICV certification of the first Embraer aircraft and the modification of the TICV AOC to include international operations with technical support from Brazil’s ANAC and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
Last year, AAC also participated in 39 work events organized by international and regional organizations related to the sector, with a focus on 22 events organized by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The development of a National Operational Safety Plan, the completion of the Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) certification process, the certification of three training organizations, and the implementation of 372 safety oversight activities were other actions taken by the regulator in 2022.
For management, the “continuous efforts” of sector training and oversight staff have ensured that civil aviation is maintained at an exemplary level of operational safety.
In terms of human resources, AAC had 50 employees as of December 31, 2022, two more than in 2021, of which 43 were full-time and seven were service providers.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
I am Michael Melvin, an experienced news writer with a passion for uncovering stories and bringing them to the public. I have been working in the news industry for over five years now, and my work has been published on multiple websites. As an author at 24 News Reporters, I cover world section of current events stories that are both informative and captivating to read.