In conversation with Trevor Sadler, CEO, InterCaribbean Airways

Air passenger traffic in Latin America and the Caribbean grew by 7.4% in Apr-2024, totalling 38.8 million travellers, which was an increase of 2.7 million compared to Apr-2023, according to data from the region's aviation body ALTA.

Notably, in the international market there was a 10% growth, with 18.3 million passengers total.

Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Panama were the five busiest countries by international passenger numbers. The extra-regional international segment grew by 8.3%, reaching almost 14 million passengers, and that was 1.06 million more than in Apr-2023.

The Caribbean accounts for just a small share of this total, but is a region where air connectivity plays a vital economic and social role.

Data from CAPA - Centre for Aviation and OAG shows that annual Caribbean seat capacity rose 17.4% in 2023, to a figure slightly below its pre-COVID level of 2019. In 2024 regional capacity has tracked ahead of both 2019 and 2023 levels every week.

But while the landscape is looking much healthier, airlines in the region still face a volatile mix of small island populations, high taxation, and both economic and political issues.

CAPA - Centre for Aviation asked interCaribbean, CEO, Trevor Sadler to share his views on regional connectivity in the Caribbean.