Confidence boost increases Europe air bookings
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A boost in consumer and business confidence has seen more international flights booked within the European market during May.
The latest IATA statistics showed a 5.6% growth in international services in May compared to the same month in 2012. An average load factor of 79.1% was the second highest of all the regions against a 4.4% increase in capacity.
“The underlying growth trend has also picked up, suggesting that improving consumer and business confidence in Europe could be supporting stronger growth in air travel demand,” IATA’s statement said.
The European growth reflected a 5.6% rise in international travel globally with load factors at 78.1%. Airlines based in the Middle East continued to see the highest traffic growth at 11.7% with capacity up 12.8% with an increase in Africa and Latin America also boosting numbers.
“Global economic performance remains a concern; however, demand for air travel continues to expand. The primary driver is growing demand for connectivity to emerging markets. The business environment has also improved compared to mid-2012 with some indications of easing weakness in the Eurozone,” said Tony Tyler, director general and CEO of IATA.
“It’s still a tough environment, but there are some reasons for optimism in the second half of the year,” he added.
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