Passenger data for July continues to be strong
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced passenger data for July 2022, showing that the recovery in air travel continues to be strong
Total traffic in July 2022 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) was up 58.8 per cent compared to July 2021. Globally, traffic is now at 74.6 per cent of pre-crisis levels.
Domestic traffic for July 2022 was up 4.1 per cent compared to the year-ago period and is now driving the recovery. Total July 2022 domestic traffic was at 86.9 per cent of the July 2019 level. China saw strong month-to-month improvement compared to June.
International traffic rose 150.6 per cent versus July 2021. July 2022 international RPKs reached 67.9 per cent of July 2019 levels. All markets reported strong growth, led by Asia-Pacific.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, said: “July’s performance continued to be strong, with some markets approaching pre-Covid levels. And that is even with capacity constraints in parts of the world that were unprepared for the speed at which people returned to travel. There is still more ground to recover, but this is an excellent sign as we head into the traditionally slower autumn and winter quarters in the Northern Hemisphere.”
Passenger numbers rise across the world
Asia-Pacific airlines posted a 528.8-per-cent rise in July traffic compared to July 2021, the strongest year-over-year rate among the regions. Capacity rose 159.9 per cent and the load factor was up 47.1 percentage points to 80.2 per cent.
European carriers saw July traffic rise 115.6 per cent versus July 2021. Capacity rose 64.3 per cent, and load factor climbed 20.6 percentage points to 86.7 per cent, second highest among the regions.
Middle Eastern airlines’ traffic climbed 193.1 per cent in July compared to July 2021. July capacity rose 84.1 per cent versus the year-ago period, and load factor climbed 30.5 percentage points to 82 per cent.
North American carriers had a 129.2-per-cent traffic rise in July versus the 2021 period. Capacity rose 79.9 per cent, and load factor climbed 19.4 percentage points to 90.3 per cent, which was the highest among the regions for a second month.
Latin American airlines’ July traffic rose 119.4 per cent compared to the same month in 2021. July capacity rose 92.3 per cent and load factor increased 10.5 percentage points to 85.2 per cent.
African airlines saw an 84.8-per-cent rise in July RPKs versus a year ago. July 2022 capacity was up 46.7 per cent and load factor climbed 15.5 percentage points to 75 per cent, the lowest among regions.
“Aviation continues to recover as people take advantage of their restored freedom to travel. The pandemic showed that aviation is not a luxury but a necessity in our globalised and interconnected world. Aviation is committed to continuing to meet the demands of people and commerce and to do it sustainably,” Walsh said.