IATA announces slow-down in growth of passenger demand

The International Air Transport Association has released passenger traffic data for the month of April which shows demand in passenger kilometers (RPKs) rose by 4.6%, one of the lowest rises since January last year. While the load factor decreased by 0.3% to 79.1%, available seat kilometers (ASKs) rose by 4.9%.
IATA has taken into account the effects of the bombings at Brussels Airport and estimate that without them, demand growth would have been approximately 5%. According to Tony Tyler, IATA CEO and DG, “The disruptive impacts of the Brussels terror attacks likely will be short-lived. There are some longer-term clouds over the pace of demand growth. The stimulus from lower oil prices appears to be tapering off. And the global economic situation is subdued. Demand is still growing, but we may be shifting down a gear.” For the international passenger markets, demand rose by 4.8% against April 2015. Load factor dropped 0.6% to 77.8% while capacity rose 6.8%. In summary, for April 2016:
North American airlines’ traffic increased 1.1% compared to April 2015. Capacity was up 0.9%. Load factor increased by 0.1% to 78.3% African airlines’ traffic rose 9.9%. Capacity was up 11.1% while load factor dropped 0.6% to 77.7%.
Middle Eastern airline’s traffic increased 12.7%. Capacity growth was 14.8% while load factor dropped 1.4% to 76.5%.
Latin American carriers saw a 3.1% rise in demand. Capacity rose by 2.9%, with load factor up 0.1% to 78.3%.
Asia-Pacific airlines saw traffic increase 6.4%. Capacity rose 6.8%, while load factor slipped 0.3% to 77.3%.
European carriers’ demand increased by 1.8%. Capacity rose 2.4%, but load factor fell by 0.3% to 80.2%.
Where domestic travel markets were concerned, demand rose 4.1% against April 2015, with capacity increasing 3.8%. A rise of 0.3% saw load factor increase to 81.4%.