The International Air Transport Association has disclosed that domestic carriers and other airlines operating in Africa recorded a rise of 11.7 per cent in passenger traffic in June.
The continent led other markets in terms of percentage growth in the month, according to the association.
IATA, in its global passenger traffic results for June 2019, said the airlines’ passenger traffic in Africa at 11.7 per cent in June was an increase over the 5.1 per cent recorded in May.
It added that the size rose by 7.7 per cent, and load factor increased by 2.6 percentage points to 70.5 per cent.
“Demand is benefitting from a generally supportive economic backdrop, including improved economic stability in several countries, as well as increased air connectivity,” it said.
The demand, which according to IATA is measured in revenue passenger kilometre or RPK rose by 5.0 per cent globally, compared to June 2018.
This, it said, was up slightly from the 4.7 per cent year-over-year growth recorded in May.
It revealed that June’s capacity increased by 3.3 per cent, and the load factor rose by 1.4 percentage points to 84.4 per cent.
The IATA’s Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Alexandre de Juniac, said June continued the trend of solid passenger demand growth while the record load factor showed that airlines were maximising efficiency.
He stated that amid continuing trade tensions between the United States and China, and rising economic uncertainty in other regions, growth was however not as strong as a year ago.
On international passenger markets, IATA said the June demand rose by 5.4 per cent compared to June 2018, which was an improvement from 4.6 per cent annual growth recorded in May.
It explained that all regions recorded increases in growth, led by airlines in Africa.
The association said capacity rose by 3.4 per cent, and load factor climbed by 1.6 percentage points to 83.8 per cent.
IATA said European airlines saw traffic rise by 5.6 per cent in June compared to June 2018 and in line with 5.5 per cent demand growth the month before.
It said Middle East carriers also posted an 8.1 per cent demand increase in June compared to the same month last year, which was well up on the 0.6 per cent annual increase recorded in May.
“The timing of Ramadan which fell almost exclusively in May this year likely contributed to the strongly contrasting outcomes. Capacity rose by 1.7 per cent and load factor jumped 4.5 percentage points to 76.6 per cent,” it added.
Asia-Pacific airlines’ June traffic rose 4.0 per cent compared to the year-ago period, which was down from a 4.9 per cent increase in May while North American carriers’ demand rose by 3.5 per cent compared to June a year ago, and down from 5.0 per cent annual growth in May.
