The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that airline profits are set to stabilize in 2024 as continued growth in travel after the pandemic is offset by the high cost of capital and capacity constraints, lobby group IATA said on Wednesday. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe says that global airlines have largely recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw planes grounded. The airline sector returned to profitability in 2023, with net profit expected at $23.3-billion on a 2.6-per-cent margin, and is set to reach $25.7-billion and a margin of 2.7 per cent next year, the International Air Transport Association said (all figures U.S.). However, while revenues are tipped to reach a record $964-billion, the high cost of capital driven by rising interest rates is troubling, the global body said. "Industry profits must be put into proper perspective," IATA's head Willie Walsh said. "On average airlines will retain just $5.45 for every passenger carried. That's about enough to buy a basic grande latte at a London Starbucks." Still, the number of travellers globally is set to climb to historic levels, according to the IATA, with 4.7 billion people expected to travel worldwide in 2024 compared with 4.5 billion in 2019.