Demand for Air Travel remains strong despite cash crunch – Report

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) yesterday released its monthly passenger traffic report showing continuous strong growth in air travel demand based on February, 2023, traffic results.

Total traffic in February, 2023 (measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs) rose 55.5 per cent compared to February, 2022.

Globally, air traffic is now at 84.9 per cent based on February 2019 levels, the report said.

The report indicates that African airlines’ traffic rose 90.7 per cent in February 2023 versus a year ago while February capacity was up 61.7 per cent and load factor climbed 11.4 percentage points to 75.0 per cent.

Domestic traffic for February rose 25.2 per cent compared to the year-ago period. Total February 2023 domestic traffic was at 97.2 per cent of the February 2019 level.

International traffic climbed 89.7 per cent versus February 2022 with all markets recording strong growth, led once again by carriers in the Asia-Pacific region. International RPKs reached 77.5 per cent of February 2019 levels.

IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, projected increased travel demands as the Easter season approaches.