Global air passenger demand growth down to 2.6% in June due to disruptions in Middle East

ISTANBUL

Global air passenger demand growth slowed to 2.6% year-on-year in July, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Thursday.

The figure was lower than in previous months due to "the disruptions around military conflict in the Middle East."

The IATA said total air capacity, measured in available seat kilometers, increased by 3.4% during the same period.

The load factor was at 84.5% in June, down 0.6 percentage points versus the same month last year.

In June, international passenger demand increased by 3.2% and domestic demand rose by 1.6% on a year-over-year basis.

IATA Director General Willie Walsh said: “In June, demand for air travel grew by 2.6%. That’s a slower pace than we have seen in previous months and reflects disruptions around military conflict in the Middle East."

Walsh stated that since demand growth lagged the 3.4% capacity expansion, load factors fell 0.6 percentage points from their all-time highs.

"At 84.5% globally, however, load factors are still very strong. And with a modest 1.8% capacity growth visible in August schedules, load factors over the Northern summer are unlikely to stray far from their recent historic high," he added.