GENEVA, 10 October 2022: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) says August data showed continued momentum in the air travel recovery as international traffic soared 115.6% compared with August 2021.
Total traffic in August 2022 (measured in revenue passenger kilometres or RPKs) was up 67.7% compared to August 2021. Globally, traffic is now at 73.7% of pre-crisis levels.
Domestic traffic for August 2022 was up 26.5% compared to the year-ago period. Total August 2022 domestic traffic was 85.4% of the August 2019 level.
International traffic rose 115.6% versus August 2021, with airlines in Asia delivering the strongest year-over-year growth rates. August 2022 international RPKs reached 67.4% of August 2019 levels.
“The Northern Hemisphere peak summer travel season finished on a high note. Travel demand is progressing well, considering the prevailing economic uncertainties. And the removal or easing of travel restrictions at some key Asian destinations, including Japan, will certainly accelerate the recovery in Asia. Mainland China is the last major market retaining severe Covid-19 entry restrictions,” said IATA’s director general Willie Walsh.
International Passenger Markets
Asia-Pacific airlines had a 449.2% rise in August traffic compared to August 2021. Capacity rose 167.0%, and the load factor was up 40.1 percentage points to 78.0%. While the region experienced the strongest year-over-year growth, remaining travel restrictions in China continue to hamper the overall recovery for the region.
European carriers’ August traffic climbed 78.8% versus August 2021. Capacity rose 48.0%, and load factor increased 14.7 percentage points to 85.5%. The region had the second-highest load factor after North America.
Middle Eastern airlines’ traffic rose144.9% in August compared to August 2021. Capacity rose 72.2% versus the year-ago period, and the load factor climbed 23.7 percentage points to 79.8%.
North American carriers saw a 110.4% traffic rise in August versus 2021. Capacity rose 69.7%, and load factor climbed 16.9 percentage points to 87.2%, the highest among the regions.
Latin American airlines’ August traffic rose 102.5% compared to the same month in 2021. August capacity rose 80.8%, and the load factor increased 8.9 percentage points to 83.5%.
African airlines experienced a 69.5% rise in August RPKs versus a year ago. August 2022 capacity was up 45.3%, and the load factor climbed 10.8 percentage points to 75.9%, the lowest among regions. International traffic between Africa and neighbouring regions is close to pre-pandemic levels.
