Source on gtp.gr article
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced this week that global domestic air traffic experienced a significant rebound in April. Compared to the same month last year, air traffic increased by 42.6 percent, demonstrating a full recovery and surpassing April 2019 levels by 2.9 percent.
Furthermore, total air traffic in April saw a remarkable rise of 45.8 percent compared to April 2022, reaching an impressive 90.5 percent of pre-Covid 2019 levels. The industry load factor stood at 81.3 percent, just 1.8 percentage points below the pre-pandemic level.
The latest data from IATA revealed a robust growth of 48.0 percent in international traffic compared to April 2022, with all markets showing healthy expansion. Notably, airlines in the Asia-Pacific region led the way, experiencing a remarkable 192.7 percent increase in April 2023 traffic compared to the same period last year.
In Europe, carriers reported a substantial traffic increase of 22.6 percent compared to April 2022, accompanied by a 16.0 percent growth in capacity and a 4.5 percentage point rise in load factor, reaching 83.3 percent, the second-highest among all regions.
Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA, stated, "April continued the strong traffic trend we witnessed in the first quarter of 2023. The easing of inflation, rising consumer confidence in most OECD countries, and declining jet fuel prices indicate sustained strong demand for air travel and a moderation of cost pressures."
Meanwhile, North American carriers experienced a notable 34.8 percent increase in traffic in April compared to the same period last year. Capacity also rose by 26.5 percent, resulting in a load factor of 83.8 percent, the highest among all regions. IATA declared that North American international traffic has now fully recovered.
Moreover, domestic demand for US airlines grew by 5.5 percent in April and exceeded pre-Covid 2019 levels by 3.3 percent for the same month.
Despite ongoing challenges such as supply chain shortages, airlines are diligently working to provide travelers with a seamless travel experience. Walsh emphasized that delivering the Single European Sky would be the most significant improvement Europe could make to enhance travel experiences.
Looking ahead, IATA's 79th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit, scheduled for June 4-6 in Istanbul, will address critical issues including regulation, sustainability, and more, shaping the future of the aviation industry.
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