March 2024: Passenger Demand Climbs 13.8% – IATA

Middle East leads in global air passenger demand.

Photo: Supplied

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reports continued growth in global air travel, with passenger demand rising significantly in March 2024 compared to the same month last year.

Highlights:

  • Total passenger demand (RPKs) up 13.8% year-on-year.
  • Total capacity (ASKs) increased by 12.3% compared to March 2023.
  • Load factor reached 82.0%, a 1.0 percentage point increase.

IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, stresses the importance of taking swift action to meet rising passenger demand and guarantee a hassle-free travel experience.

According to Walsh, tackling supply chain issues and ensuring airports and air traffic management are fully functional are crucial steps.

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He further emphasised that airlines, while committed to exceptional customer care, cannot continue absorbing the cost of delays and cancellations caused by inadequacies in other parts of the travel sector.

Middle East & Africa Regions

Middle East:

  • Demand increased by a healthy 10.8% year-on-year.
  • Capacity growth outpaced demand (13.9% increase).
  • Load factor dipped slightly to 77.5% (-2.1 percentage points).

Africa:

  • Passenger demand rose by 8.1% compared to March 2023.
  • Capacity increased by 11.0% year-on-year.
  • Load factor decreased to 70.3% (-1.9 percentage points).

IATA, Reports
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