by Donald Wood
Last updated: 8:55 AM ET, Thu August 29, 2024
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released
new data that showed demand for air travel worldwide increased by eight percent
over the last year.
The research found that total demand measured in revenue
passenger kilometers (RPK) was up eight percent compared to July 2023. Total
capacity was also up 7.4 percent, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK).
“July was another positive month. In fact, passenger demand
hit an all-time high for the industry and in all regions except Africa, despite
significant disruption caused by the CrowdStrike IT outage,” IATA Director
General Willie Walsh said.
International demand rose 10.1 percent from last year, while
capacity increased 10.5 percent year-on-year. As for domestic demand, it grew 4.8
percent compared to July 2023 and capacity was up 2.8 percent.
In North America, the top airlines saw a 5.3 percent
year-on-year increase in demand, while capacity increased by 6.3 percent. The
load factor was 89.4 percent, the highest among regions.
“The winding down of the peak northern summer season is a
reminder of how much people depend on flying,” Walsh continued. “As the mix of
travelers shift from leisure to business, aviation’s many roles are
evident—reuniting families, enabling exploration, and powering commerce.”
“People need and want to fly,” Walsh concluded. “And they
are doing that in great numbers.”
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