KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 7 — Global passenger traffic for the whole of 2019, measured in a revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), rose by 4.2 per cent year-on-year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
However, this was a slowdown compared to the 7.3 per cent annual growth recorded in 2018, making 2019 the first year that passengers’ demand fell below the long-term trend of around 5.5 per cent annual growth since the 2009 global financial crisis.
According to IATA, the full-year capacity recorded an increase of 3.4 per cent while the load factor rose 0.7 percentage, which pointed to a record high of 82.6 per cent against the previous high of 81.9 per cent notched in 2018.
IATA’s director general and chief executive officer Alexandre de Juniac said airlines did well to maintain steady growth last year in the face of various challenges.
“A softer economic backdrop, weak global trade activity and political and geopolitical tensions took their toll on-demand,” he said in a statement, today.
De Juniac said the international passenger traffic increased 4.1 per cent compared to 2018, while domestic air travel perked 4.5 per cent, with all markets showing annual growth, led by China and Russia.
He explained that 2019 was a difficult year for the aviation sector with 2020 off to a tragic and challenging beginning due to the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak.
“There currently is no advice from World Health Organization to restrict travel or trade but it is clear that demand has fallen on routes associated with China, and airlines are responding to this by cutting capacity for both domestic and international China.
“The situation is evolving fast, but we are observing significant schedules adjustments for February,” added De Juniac.
— Bernama
