Global air passenger numbers rise again: IATA
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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced global passenger traffic results for November showing continued strong traffic growth above the 10-year average rate of 5.6%.
Total revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) rose 5.9% compared to the year-ago period. Although below the October rate of 7.1%, this largely was owing to the impact of factors that are expected to be short-lived, including the cessation of operations by Transaero, Russia’s second largest carrier, and labor strikes at Lufthansa.
The healthy demand continued despite some softening in economic growth, in large part owing to falling fares. Data for the first ten months of the year show a 5% decline in average fares in currency-adjusted terms. November capacity (available seat kilometers or ASKs) increased by 4.2%, and load factor rose 1.3 percentage points to 78.0%.
“Consumers continue to benefit from lower fares, which are spurring demand. The economy benefits from the stimulus to consumer spending. And airlines are starting to achieve minimum acceptable profit levels. It’s good news all around, but as we open 2016, economic risks are mounting,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO.
November international passenger demand rose 5.6% compared to November 2014, with airlines in all regions recording growth. Total capacity climbed 4.1%, and load factor edged up 1.1 percentage points to 76.2%.
European carriers saw demand increase by 2.2%. The lower growth primarily was triggered by the aforementioned shutdown of Transaero and labor issues at Lufthansa. Capacity slipped 0.1% and load factor rose 1.7 percentage points to 79.5%, highest among the regions.
Domestic travel demand rose 6.4% in November compared to November 2014 but results were mixed, with Brazil, Russia and Japan all showing declines. Domestic capacity climbed 4.4%, and load factor improved 1.6 percentage points to 81.1%.
| Year-on-Year Comparison | November 2015 vs November 2014 | YTD 2015 vs. YTD 2014 |
| RPK | ASK | PLF | RPK | ASK | PLF | |
| Australia | 1.9% | 1.0% | 79.4% | 0.1% | -0.3% | 76.6% |
| Brazil | -7.9% | -4.1% | 78.0% | 1.5% | 1.3% | 80.0% |
| China P.R. | 8.4% | 7.7% | 80.4% | 11.1% | 9.5% | 81.6% |
| India | 25.1% | 19.8% | 83.6% | 19.7% | 9.3% | 82.8% |
| Japan | -1.2% | -2.5% | 71.2% | 2.0% | 0.4% | 67.4% |
| Russian Federation | -7.1% | -10.6% | 71.7% | 7.0% | 8.5% | 74.8% |
| US | 9.1% | 5.3% | 84.5% | 5.0% | 4.3% | 85.5% |
| Domestic | 6.4% | 4.4% | 81.1% | 6.4% | 5.3% | 81.6% |
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