International air travel went up by 4.6 per cent in October, figures released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) showed today.
This is in line with the overall upward trend for international travel, although passenger load factors – the percentage of available space on aircraft that is filled – fell slightly from 79.5 per cent to 77.6 per cent.
Passenger air travel varies from region to region, with Europe seeing an above-trend increase of 6.4 per cent, despite the deepening Eurozone crisis.
European carriers also saw a passenger load factor of 80.2 per cent, the highest in the world. Half of all growth in capacity and traffic carried internationally in the past year has been generated by European carriers.
The IATA puts this down to an increase in business-related travel among European countries.
But Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO, said: “With Europe accounting for 29.2 per cent of global air travel, this suggests that the current overall strength in air travel is based on fragile foundations.”
North American carriers were the least successful, seeing a drop in passenger traffic of 1.9 per cent compared to October last year. The IATA put the decline down to cuts in capacity by US carriers.
Middle Eastern airlines saw the biggest increase in customer demand, with growth of 7.7 per cent compared to last year.
In terms of customer demand, Latin American airlines saw the greatest increase with 10.5 per cent, followed by the Middle East at 8.5 per cent.
“As we enter the year-end period, we are reminded of the vital role that aviation plays in our globalised world. Valuable tourism dollars will be spent in every corner of the planet. Much of this is facilitated by efficient air links that have turned our planet into a global community,” added Mr Tyler.
“The economic prospects for 2012 are uncertain, but the track record of aviation’s ability to act as a catalyst for economic activity is rock-solid. Now is the time for governments to use aviation strategically in their efforts to put economies back on track.”
