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Although uncertainty is still great, the coming year looks more promising.
IATA, the trade association for most airlines around the world. He expects them to return to profitability in 2023 after posting a loss in 2022, largely due to the Covid-19 shutdown, but also due to rising oil prices.
And much-anticipated new planes may be taking to the skies, helping usher in the next era of commercial aviation.
But concerns remain. Wars, global and regional recession, resurgence of covid, changed travel conditions, climate crisis and many other factors are beyond the control of aviation.
Here’s what all this means for travelers in 2023.
fix the sky
Virgin Atlantic It is expected to join the SkyTeam alliance in 2023.
Nicholas Economou/NurPhoto/Getty Images/File.
Covid-19 has taken the last three years of our lives, and will continue to do so — but, for the most part, that doesn’t include travel restrictions.
Japan is the last major non-Chinese economy to open its doors to foreign travelers in 2022.
Another big question is Russia. After Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Russian airlines were banned from the airspace of many countries, including the European Union, the United States and Canada.
Outside of the conflict zone, the biggest impact of this is on flights between Europe and East Asia, which must fly south of the conflict zone and over the Caucasus or northern Alaska. As a result, many European and Asian airlines have suspended their services.
This means that there are fewer flights between Europe and Asia, and there are many European and Asian airlines with aircraft that plan to use those routes, and now they are looking to see where else they can fly.
New routes are already starting to fly between North America and Europe, while the big three transatlantic joint venture airline cartels – which belong to the Oneworld, Star Alliance and SkyTeam alliances and are allowed to coordinate prices among their members – will add many new routes and improve existing services.
So if you see a new non-stop flight opening up, it might be worth jumping at the chance. If European airlines regain access to Russian airspace and return to and from China, the new non-stop airlines may return to operations.
Speaking of alliances, Virgin Atlantic is expected to join part-owner Delta in the Skytime alliance as early as 2023, while China Southern (by some of the world’s largest airlines) has long been rumored to be joining the Oneworld alliance. Finding some humor recently. That opens up some new relationships for those airlines’ partners — and their passengers.
A new plane, but many new cabins
A new COMAC C919 is arriving for China Eastern Airlines.
STR/AFP via Getty Images
The COMAC C919, China’s first modern narrow-body airliner, is expected to enter passenger service in 2023 when it is completed in 2022. The new aircraft, which is seen as a major challenge for Western manufacturers, offers a new option for travelers in China. Experience on Boeing 737 or Airbus A320.
In the year There are no new aircraft on the horizon in 2023. Boeing’s much-delayed 777X widebody isn’t expected to begin deliveries until 2025, and that’s before test flights were halted in early December due to General Electric’s problems. GE9X engines.
Many new aircraft will arrive, including the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787, but some older aircraft will be kept in the dock longer.
The Airbus A321XLR is not expected to enter service until 2024.
Axel Heimken/AFP/Getty Images
On Airbus’ side, the extra-long-haul A321XLR narrowbody is slated to arrive with airlines as early as 2024, though the good news for Airbus is that the US Federal Aviation Administration on December 8 approved the design of the extra fuel tank.
That means new non-stop flights at smaller airports, particularly between transatlantic routes, will be announced in 2023 – worth keeping an eye on and booking quickly.
We will see new aircraft variants announced. Airbus has been making positive noise about its much-talked-about compact A220 jetliner, which is popular with passengers because of its wide seats, large aisles and large windows.
When new planes come from the factory, they come with a new cabin with a more spacious airframe, larger tanks, and a sleeker aesthetic, like the Airbus.
Airbus has designed its new cabin to provide more comfort for passengers.
Airbus Vice President of Cabin Marketing Ingo Wugtzer told CNN: “As more and more Airbus cabin-equipped aircraft come to market, more passengers will benefit from comfort features and connectivity. “That’s key for me in 2023 – bringing these innovations to more and more passengers worldwide. “
In addition, he expects “we will see a wave of digital innovation in the day-to-day operations of airlines.” Digitalization is good for passengers: a more connected airline offers more information and more self-service options, helping to avoid airport lines or long waits on the phone.
Return ways
The Airbus A380 superjumbo is entering service for Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways in 2023.
Nicholas Economou/NurPhoto/Getty Images
The giant (and very popular) Airbus A380 superjumbo is returning to service. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad is the latest airline to bring back its A380s, which means spacious seats in economy on this big, quiet plane. It’s great news for commuters.
Two of Boeing’s 737 MAX aircraft, the shorter MAX 7 and the two-seater MAX 10, are on certification as the year’s final deadline approaches.
To summarize the complex situation, American regulators want Boeing to install additional safety systems. That would be expensive for Boeing, since it has contractually promised some airlines that they will not want to spend time and money training pilots on the difference.
This will not have a short-term impact on passengers, but the airlines’ long-term plans to replace these aging planes and start new routes could be delayed.
Safety and durability
Coming soon: No more removing laptops or liquids.
John Moore/Getty Images
At the airport 2023 will be the year some airports do away with the “liquid ban,” where anything on the liquid-paste-cream-gel spectrum can only be carried in 3-ounce or 100-ml containers in small zip-lock containers. Plastic bag.
Flyers may have experienced earlier versions of scanners that let you leave your liquid bags and electronics in your carry-on, but these are becoming more widespread. The UK is expected to introduce these in airports by 2023.
As the climate crisis grows in importance, watch out for more sustainability claims around flights.
One side of that is the development of more sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) made from different sources: waste oils, vegetable oils, algae, etc. Virgin Atlantic recently announced that it will test its first transatlantic carbon “net-zero” flight powered by SAF in 2023, following similar projects by other airlines.
The other side is making the interior of the cabinets, which are mostly metal, plastic and fabric, more durable.
We recently spoke to designer Martin Darbyshire of Tangerine, the design agency responsible for most of the new cabins, who emphasized that, “As designers we have a responsibility to avoid complexity, weight and cost and deliver durability and more. Repairable and reusable solutions for the airline’s interior industries are what our customers are looking for and we owe it to the community to make it happen.
Indeed, he said, “It’s amazing that it took all this time.”
Top image: China’s new COMAC C919 passenger plane. Credit: CNS/AFP via Getty Images
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