Passenger demand rose in May 19′ though the trend has slowed, IATA

Friday, July 5, 2019

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced global passenger traffic results for May 2019. It revealed that passenger demand expressed as revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs), rose by 4.5 per cent compared to the same month in 2018. However, it remains below the 20-year average growth rate of around 5.5 per cent. Capacity (available seat kilometers or ASKs) rose by a modest 2.7 per cent and load factor rose by 1.4 percentage points to 81.5 per cent, surpassing last year’s record load factor of 80.1 per cent.

The revised April traffic growth was 4.4 per cent and above the recent trough of 3.1 per cent year-on-year growth recorded in March.

Alexandre de Juniac, Director General and CEO IATA, said that passenger demand growth has slowed compared to the past two years. This is in line with slumping global trade, rising trade tensions and weakening business confidence. Airlines are managing capacity carefully in order to optimize efficiency.

International traffic demand rose 4.3 per cent in May over the year-ago period. This was lower than 5.1 per cent growth in April. All regions recorded growth, led by airlines in Latin America. Total capacity climbed 2.1 per cent, with load factor jumping 1.7 percentage points to 80.4 per cent.

Domestic traffic increased 4.8 per cent in May compared to May 2018, well above the 3 per cent year-over-year rise recorded in April.

Alexandre de Juniac said, “Aviation is the business of freedom, connecting people and trade and creating new opportunities for growth and development. But to be effective, the business of freedom relies on borders that are open to the movement of people and goods—and aircraft.”

Extensive airspace closures owing to political tensions in the recent weeks contributed to longer and less efficient routings, higher operating costs and increased carbon emissions. He added that without any compromise on safety, it is vital that governments work to minimize airspace closures so that the Business of Freedom can continue to deliver its benefits as efficiently as possible.

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