Middle East airline traffic up 14.2% in April: IATA

IATA released data for April 2024, showing increased passenger traffic across the world.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for April 2024 global passenger demand, reporting an increase of 11 per cent in total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs), compared to April 2023.

Middle East airline traffic

Meanwhile, total capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), rose 9.6 per cent year-on-year. The April load factor was 82.4 per cent (+1.0ppt compared to April 2023).

International demand rose 15.8 per cent compared to April 2023; capacity was up 14.8 per cent year-on-year and the load factor improved to 82.2 percent (+0.7ppt on April 2023).

Middle Eastern airlines saw a 14.2% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 9.9% year-on-year and the load factor increased +3.0ppt to 79.3% compared to April 2023.

Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director-General, said: “Passenger demand has been growing for 36 consecutive months. As we enter the peak northern summer travel season, there is every reason to feel optimistic for a strong summer with airlines offering a wide range of travel options.

“97 per cent of passengers asked in our recent survey said they were satisfied with their last flight. Every part of the travel value chain needs to be focused on maintaining that”.

The IATA Passenger Survey also revealed 88 per cent agreement that “air travel makes my life better”.

Walsh added: “That’s an important motivation as our members gather for the IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit in Dubai. This strong endorsement of the power of air connectivity to transform lives and boost economies brings with it a challenge that will also be on the minds of all attending.

“It is critically important that we achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 so that people can continue to rely on all the benefits of air travel”.