The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported global passenger traffic results for February showing a second month of strong demand growth to begin 2017. Total revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) rose 4.8%, compared to the same month last year. Although this was below growth achieved in January, year-to-year comparisons are distorted because February 2016 was a
Norwegian reported total traffic growth increased by 16%, while the capacity growth increased by 22%, compared to the same month in 2016. The load factor was 84.1%, down 3.8 points.
International Airlines Group (IAG) traffic in March 2017 increased by 2.6% versus March 2016 and Group capacity rose by 2.4%. Group load factor was 80.6%, up 0.1 point compared to the previous year.
Volaris reported March 2017 traffic results. Capacity for the month increased 7.9% while traffic for March increased 7.4%. The load factor was down 1.8 points to 83.2% compared to the previous year.
Delta Air Lines reported that March 2017 system traffic increased 2.3% compared to the previous year, while capacity for the month was up 1%. System load factor for March was up 1.0 point to 85.8% compared to March 2016.
For the month of February 2017, Copa Holdings’ system-wide passenger traffic increased 6.9% year over year, while capacity increased 1.2%. As a result, system load factor for February 2017 was 81.0%, a 4.3 point increase when compared to February 2016.
Southwest Airlines reported February 2017 traffic increased 1.1% compared to February 2016, while capacity increased 1.2%. The February 2017 load factor was 79.0%, which was flat compared with February 2016.
In February 2017, more than four million passengers passed through Frankfurt Airport (FRA) – exceeding the previous February record achieved in 2016 by some 38,500 passengers (up 1.0%). Thus, the passenger growth trend experienced during the last three months at FRA also continued in the reporting month, despite the special effect resulting from the additional
American Airlines Group’s total traffic for February was down 3.3% versus February 2016 and total capacity was down 3.7% versus February 2016. Total passenger load factor was 77.3%, up 0.3 points versus February 2016.
WestJet announced February 2017 traffic results with a load factor of 85.2%, an increase of 2.0 points year over year. Traffic for February increased 5.2% year over year and capacity grew 2.7%.
