Global air passenger traffic rises again in March
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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has revealed global air passenger traffic results for March showing demand (revenue passenger kilometres or RPKs) rose 7.4% year-on-year. This was an improvement on February, when year-on-year growth was 6.4%.
The acceleration in the year-on-year comparison reflects the residual impact of the February Lunar New Year celebrations, which tend to boost leisure travel in the weeks before and after the holiday. In 2014, the holiday occurred at the end of January. However, underlying traffic trends confirm demand remains robust. March capacity rose 5.6% and load factor climbed 1.3 percentage points to 80.0%. Domestic markets experienced stronger growth than international markets, but both performed well.
“March traffic continues the trend of healthy demand for travel. We may, however, see a softening of demand in the second quarter. There are signs that regional trade activity in Asia-Pacific may be slowing and Eurozone economic weakness continues to disappoint,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s director general and CEO.
March international passenger traffic rose 7.0% compared to the year-ago period. Capacity climbed 5.4% and load factor increased 1.2 percentage points to 78.9%. All regions recorded year-over increases in demand except for Africa.
European carriers’ international traffic climbed 5.4% year-on-year. Capacity rose 3.6% and load factor climbed 1.4 percentage points to 80.8%, highest among the regions surveyed. While the Eurozone is reporting very weak economic expansion, outside the Eurozone, nations like Turkey continue to record strong growth.
Domestic air travel rose 8.0% in March year-on-year, driven by growth in China and India. Capacity rose 6.0% and load factor was 82.0%, up 1.5% percentage points over March 2014.
| Year-on-Year Comparison | March ’15 vs March ’14 | YTD ’15 vs. YTD ’14 |
| RPK | ASK | PLF | RPK | ASK | PLF | |
| Australia | 2.9% | -0.9% | 77.6% | 1.4% | -0.5% | 76.9% |
| Brazil | 2.0% | 2.8% | 77.1% | 5.3% | 3.8% | 80.8% |
| China P.R. | 22.0% | 16.5% | 83.4% | 11.0% | 11.2% | 81.5% |
| India | 17.9% | 5.2% | 80.3% | 20.5% | 3.5% | 83.7% |
| Japan | 2.3% | 1.8% | 70.8% | 3.7% | 2.8% | 65.8% |
| Russian Federation | 2.7% | 3.7% | 69.7% | 4.8% | 3.7% | 68.5% |
| US | 3.0% | 2.6% | 86.2% | 3.0% | 3.5% | 82.8% |
| Domestic | 8.0% | 6.0% | 82.0% | 5.7% | 5.0% | 80.0% |
“The devastating earthquake in Nepal has gripped the world’s attention. It also has highlighted aviation’s vital role. Airlines help transport the responders who perform their heroic efforts in bringing food, medical supplies and equipment to those in need. All our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of this disaster and to those who are working around the clock to deliver hope and aid,” said Tyler.
“Next month, Miami will be the focus of the global air transport industry, when the 71st IATA Annual General Meeting will take place, 7-9 June. In the US, aviation supports some 5.7 million jobs and nearly $562 billion in GDP. Our message is that aviation can play an even bigger role, but only if governments understand that aviation’s greatest contribution is in the value creation it enables, not in the taxes and fees that can be extracted from it,” said Tyler.
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