African airlines saw January traffic jump 12.1 per cent compared to January 2015. This continues the strong upward trend in travel since mid-2015 that coincides with a jump in exports from the region over the same period, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which announced global passenger traffic results for January 2016.
The clearing house for global airlines passenger traffic showing demand (revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) rose 7.1 per cent compared to January 2015.
This was ahead of the 2015 full year growth rate of 6.5 per cent while January capacity rose 5.6 per cent, with the result that load factor rose 1.1 percentage points to 78.8 per cent, the highest load factor ever recorded for the first month of the year.
Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO, disclosed that January maintained the strong traffic growth trend seen in 2015, showing the resilience of demand for connectivity despite recent turmoil in equity markets.
He noted that the record load factor is a result of strong demand for “our product and airlines making the most productive use of their assets. Underlying conditions point to another strong year for passenger traffic, with the latest decline in oil prices likely providing additional stimulus for air travel growth.”
On International Passenger markets, January international passenger traffic rose 7.3 per cent compared to the year-ago period. Capacity rose 5.9 per cent and load factor rose 1.0 percentage point to 78.8 per cent. All regions recorded year-over-year increases in demand.
Asia Pacific carriers recorded an increase of 10.3 per cent compared to January 2015. Capacity rose 7.6 per cent, pushing up load factor 2.0 percentage points to 79.2 per cent. A 7.3 per cent increase in the number of direct airport connections within the Asia region over the past 12 months or so has helped to stimulate demand.
European carriers’ international traffic climbed 4.2 per cent in January compared to the year-ago period. Capacity rose 2.6 per cent and load factor rose 1.2 percentage points to 78.8 per cent. Airline strikes and the shutdown of Russia’s Transaero caused the region’s traffic to fall in the last quarter of 2015. Volumes have picked up somewhat in recent months.
North American airlines saw demand rise 2.4 per cent in January over a year ago. Capacity rose 1.3 per cent, pushing up load factor 0.8 percentage points to 80.3 per cent. North American international traffic growth was weakest among the regions, as carriers have focused on the stronger and larger domestic market.
Middle East carriers had the strongest year-over-year demand growth in January at 10.9 per cent, helped by ongoing network and fleet expansion. Capacity rose 12.9 per cent and load factor dipped 1.4 percentage points to 77.8 per cent.
Latin American airlines’ traffic climbed 8.9 per cent in January. Capacity rose 7.8 per cent and load factor increased 0.8 percentage points to 82.5 per cent, highest among the regions. Domestic traffic remains under pressure from economic difficulties in the region’s biggest economies, notably Brazil, but the strong growth in international demand shows little sign of slowing.
Domestic air travel rose 6.8 per cent in January year-on-year. Capacity rose 5.1 per cent and load factor was 78.9 per cent, up 1.3 percentage points.
