(Photo from Anadolu)
ANKARA – World air traffic reached 96.1 percent of its pre-coronavirus levels this May, thanks to strong demand for travel, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Thursday.
Air traffic, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs), jumped 39.1 percent year-on-year in May.
Industry load factor rose to 81.8 percent, led by North American carriers at 86.3 percent.
"We saw more good news in May. Planes were full, with the average load factors reaching 81.8 percent," Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general, said in a statement.
Domestic air traffic surged 36.4 percent from a year earlier, surpassing its pre-pandemic level by 5.3 percent in May.
International traffic also jumped 40.9 percent from last year, with RPKs reaching 90.8 percent of the 2019 level.
"Domestic markets reported growth on pre-pandemic levels. And, heading into the busy Northern summer travel season, international demand reached 90.8 percent of pre-pandemic levels," Walsh said.
Separate IATA data showed on Wednesday that global demand for air cargo, measured in cargo ton-kilometers, dropped 5.2 percent compared to May 2022.
Capacity, as measured by available cargo ton-kilometers, rose 14.5 percent compared to last year, primarily driven by belly capacity which increases as demand in the passenger business recovers. (Anadolu)
