Global air travel booming – IATA

Passenger traffic has rebounded almost to pre-Covid levels, the industry body reports

Global passenger plane traffic continued its post-Covid recovery in July, driven by surging demand on the Chinese domestic market, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported on Wednesday.

According to the press release, air traffic across the globe jumped 26.2% in July in annual terms when measured in revenue passenger kilometres (the number of passengers multiplied by the distance traveled). Globally, traffic is now at 95.6% of pre-Covid levels, according to the IATA.

Domestic aircraft transport for July rose 21.5% versus July 2022 and was 8.3% above the July 2019 results, driven by the Chinese market’s soaring demand.

The passenger load factor (the percentage of filled seats) for the global air travel industry reached 85.7% which is the highest monthly international figure ever recorded.

“Planes were full during July as people continue to travel in ever greater numbers. Importantly, forward ticket sales indicate that traveler confidence remains high. And there is every reason to be optimistic about the continuing recovery,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

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Asia-Pacific airlines saw a 105.8% increase in July 2023 traffic compared to July 2022, continuing to lead the regions. They were followed by African, Latin American, and Middle Eastern airlines, as well as North American and European carriers, the report showed.

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