International air traffic to and from Bangladesh hit the highest at least in four years in 2022, riding on pent-up demand for travel by migrant workers, non-resident Bangladeshis and the upper-middle-class segment.

Air travels have surged after countries eased Covid-19 pandemic-induced restrictions.

Bangladesh's airports handled 90.63 lakh international passengers last year, up 133 per cent from 38.83 lakh in 2021, according to data from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).

The latest travel data crossed the 2019 air passenger figure, which was nearly 85.94 lakh -- the year before the pandemic hit the country, wreaking havoc in the aviation industry and life and livelihoods across the globe.

The total number of flights doubled too in 2022 from that a year ago.

Airline operators say buoyancy in air travel continued in the first quarter of the current year and it is likely to continue.

"We had forecast a spike earlier. People who came back during the pandemic have returned to their jobs. Besides, new job opportunities have been created especially in the Middle East," said CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman.

In 2022, Hazrat Shahjalal Internationlal Airport handled 78.28 lakh international passengers.

As the demand for air travel is growing, the government started construction of the third terminal so that the HSIA could accommodate the increase in international and domestic air travellers.

The HSIA has the capacity to handle 80 lakh passengers annually and the latest data showed that it handled more than that, if domestic passengers are taken into account.

"In general, our capacity has increased," Rahman said, hoping that the positive trend in air transport would continue in the coming days.

Internationally, demand for air travel has continued to be strong.

After a very healthy start in 2023, air traffic in February, measured in revenue passenger kilometres, rose 55.5 per cent compared to February 2022, led by carriers in the Asia-Pacific region, said the International Air Transport Association (IATA) earlier this month.

The global trade body said international air passenger traffic gained momentum and recovered substantially as travel restrictions were taken down and passengers expressed a very strong willingness to travel in 2022.

In Bangladesh, the movement of migrant workers, who could not travel in 2020 and 2021 for the pandemic-related restrictions, soared in 2022.

And the demand for travel by the upper-middle class, students and holidaymakers jumped too last year, said a top official of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, seeking to remain unnamed.

The state carrier transported around 30 lakh passengers in 2022 which was higher than its target for the year, according to the official.

"We have a huge flow of outbound travellers. Many migrant workers, who were stuck, could fly. Many skilled and unskilled workers also left for jobs abroad."

"We also see a new segment of air travellers in Bangladesh," said the official, adding that many Bangladeshis flew to Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Dubai on holidays.

As the buying capacity of the middle class has increased, they are also travelling to destinations such as the UK, Canada and the US, according to the official.

CAAB data showed that the number of outbound travellers from Bangladesh was 42.49 lakh in 2022, registering a 124 per cent year-on-year increase.

Bangladesh's aviation industry is expected remain on a positive trend as trade and connectivity are growing and per capita income is rising.

"It is a very good market for any airline," the Biman official said.

Apart from Biman, nearly 30 foreign carriers and two private carriers -- US-Bangla Airline and Novo Air -- operate international flights.

An official of a top international carrier operating in Bangladesh said the movement of workers to the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia, increased in 2022.

"A big chunk of migrant workers from Bangladesh went to Malaysia as well. We have seen many people travelling to Saudi Arabia for Umrah this year."

Data from the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training showed that more than 11.35 lakh Bangladeshis left the country for jobs abroad last year, nearly doubling from 6.17 lakh migrant workers who flew abroad the previous year.

An official of Singapore Airlines said many non-resident Bangladeshis visited the country in 2022 as the Covid situation was stable in Bangladesh.

"Air travel has grown significantly."

In 2022, 35.78 lakh travellers came to Bangladesh which was double from 17.10 lakh seen in the previous year, according to the CAAB.

Despite the surge, officials of the two foreign carriers said, the overall air travel market was yet to return to its pre-pandemic level globally.

In Bangladesh, several foreign airliners cut flights during the pandemic and they are yet to reopen and operate in full capacity.

The Singapore Airlines official said there would be an increased flow of air passengers from Bangladesh for business purposes once China reopens fully.

Imran Asif, chief executive officer at Air Astra, said air travel from Bangladesh surged in 2022 for pent-up demand.

"Like other countries, Bangladesh was also affected by the Russia-Ukraine war."

"Airline operating costs have increased, so have fares. If the airfare had not increased, air travel from Bangladesh would have been higher."