SINGAPORE, 10 August 2023: Post-Covid recovery momentum continued in June for passenger markets, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported earlier this week.
In June, global traffic stood at 94.2% of pre-Covid levels, and for the first half of 2023, total traffic was up 47.2% compared to the year-ago period.
Total traffic in June 2023 (measured in revenue passenger kilometres or RPKs) rose 31.0% compared to June 2022. Domestic traffic for June rose 27.2% compared to the same month a year ago and was 5.1% above the June 2019 results. Domestic demand was up 33.3% in the 2023 first half compared to a year ago.
International traffic climbed 33.7% versus June 2022, with all markets showing robust growth. International RPKs reached 88.2% of June 2019 levels. In the first half of 2023, international traffic was up 58.6% over the first half of 2022.
“The northern summer travel season started in June with double-digit demand growth and average load factors topping 84%. Planes are full, which is good news for airlines, local economies, and travel and tourism-dependent jobs. All benefit from the industry’s ongoing recovery,” said IATA’s director general Willie Walsh.
Asia-Pacific airlines had a 128.1% increase in June 2023 traffic compared to June 2022, easily the largest percentage gain among the regions. Capacity climbed 115.6%, and the load factor increased by 4.6 percentage points to 82.9%.
European carriers posted a 14.0% traffic rise versus June 2022. Capacity rose 12.6%, and load factor climbed 1.1 percentage points to 87.8%, the second highest among the regions.
Middle Eastern airlines’ June traffic climbed 29.2% compared to June last year. Capacity rose 25.9%, and the load factor improved by two percentage points to 79.8%.
North American carriers saw traffic climb 23.3% in June 2023 versus 2022. Capacity increased by 19.5%, and the load factor rose 2.7 percentage points to 90.2%, the region’s highest.
Latin American airlines had a 25.8% traffic increase compared to the same month in 2022. June capacity climbed 25.0%, and the load factor rose 0.6 percentage points to 84.8%.
African airlines’ traffic rose 34.7% in June 2023 versus a year ago, the region’s second-highest percentage gain. June capacity was up 44.8%, and the load factor fell 5.1 percentage points to 68.1%, the region’s lowest. Africa was the only region to see a decline in the monthly international load factor compared to a year ago.
