Middle Eastern airlines saw a 114.7% rise in passenger traffic in October compared to the same month of 2021 and capacity increased 55.7% versus the year-ago period said the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in a new report.

Load factor climbed 21.8 percentage points to 79.5%, according to the IATA report, which indicated  October passenger demand & forward bookings signal continuing recovery.

African airlines’ traffic rose 84.5% in October versus a year ago. October 2022 capacity was up 46.9% and load factor climbed 14.5 percentage points to 71.3%, the lowest among regions.  

Total traffic in October 2022 (measured in revenue passenger kilometres or RPKs) rose 44.6% compared to October 2021. Globally, traffic is now at 74.2% of October 2019 levels.
     
Domestic traffic for October 2022 slipped 0.8% compared to the year-ago period as stringent Covid-related travel restrictions in China dampened global figures. Total October 2022 domestic traffic was at 77.9% of the October 2019 level. Domestic forward bookings remain at around 70% of pre-pandemic level.
     
International traffic climbed 102.4% versus October 2021. October 2022 international RPKs reached 72.1% of October 2019 levels with all markets recording strong growth, led by Asia-Pacific. Forward bookings for international travel increased to around 75% of pre-pandemic levels, following the re-openings announced by multiple Asian economies.

“Traditionally, by October we are into the slower autumn travel season in the Northern Hemisphere, so it is highly reassuring to see demand and forward bookings continuing to be so strong. It bodes well for the coming winter season and the ongoing recovery,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

International Passenger Markets

Asia-Pacific airlines had a 440.4% rise in October traffic compared to October 2021, easily the strongest year-over-year rate among the regions, but off a very low 2021 base. Capacity rose 165.6% and the load factor climbed 39.5 percentage points to 77.7%.
     
European carriers’ October traffic climbed 60.8% versus October 2021. Capacity increased 34.7%, and load factor rose 13.8 percentage points to 84.8%, second highest among the regions.
     
North American carriers reported a 106.8% traffic rise in October versus the 2021 period. Capacity increased 54.1%, and load factor climbed 21.4 percentage points to 83.8%.

Latin American airlines posted an 85.3% traffic rise compared to the same month in 2021. October capacity climbed 66.6% and load factor increased 8.7 percentage points to 86.0%, the highest among the regions. – TradeArabia News Service