For many of the world’s communities with non-existent or poor road infrastructure, aviation is a lifeline.
In the Russian, Canadian and Scandinavian far north, and in many other remote communities and small islands, access to national democratic institutions, the rest of the world, and essential services such as education and health care, are only possible by air.
- Over 1,000 communities in northern Russia and over 200 in Alaska are inaccessible by road
- In Norway, thanks to an extensive network of regional airports and airline services, 99.5% of the remote population is able to travel to Oslo and back on the same day
- Around 400,000 patients a year are transported on scheduled flights between their homes and hospitals
Small island states across the world rely on air transport to do business, connect to education and healthcare and provide access beyond the sporadic and infrequent boat services that would otherwise provide their only connection with the world. In countries such as Indonesia, spread across 6,000 inhabited islands, air transport provides vital business and community links.
In Australia, the famous Royal Flying Doctor Service allows communities in the heart of this massive continent to receive regular medical attention. With a fleet of 69 aircraft, the service transports around 100 patients a day from the remote outback to larger medical centres.