IATA Reports Strong Growth in Global Air Travel Demand for October 2024
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced a 7.1% year-on-year increase in global air travel demand (measured in revenue passenger kilometers, or RPKs) for October 2024. This growth was supported by a 6.1% rise in capacity (available seat kilometers, or ASKs) and an improved load factor of 83.9%. In terms of international travel, demand surged by 9.5%, with a load factor of 83.5%. Notable regional performances included:
- Asia-Pacific: Demand skyrocketed by 17.5%, achieving a load factor of 82.9%.
- Europe: Demand increased by 8.7%, reaching the highest load factor of 85.7%.
- Africa: Experienced a 10.4% rise in demand, with the strongest load factor improvement of 3.4 percentage points to 73.2%.
- Domestic Markets: Growth was recorded at 3.5%, with a load factor of 84.5%.
In China, demand led the way with a 9.7% increase and a significant load factor improvement of 5.9 percentage points. Conversely, the U.S. saw a surprising 1.2% decline in demand, diverging from the global trend. IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, highlighted the industry's effectiveness in maximizing load factors but cautioned against policy measures such as passenger taxes, which could hinder progress on emissions without actually reducing flight numbers.
