The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced a notable increase in global passenger demand for September 2024, with total demand reaching an all-time high for the month. Revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) climbed 7.1% year-on-year, surpassing available seat kilometres (ASKs), which grew by 5.8%. This led to a load factor increase to 83.6%, marking a 1.0 percentage point improvement from last year.
International and Domestic Growth Highlights
- International demand grew 9.2% with a load factor of 83.8%, while domestic demand rose by 3.7%, achieving a load factor of 83.3%.
- Regionally, Asia-Pacific and African markets led in growth, with increases of 18.5% and 11.9% in demand, respectively.
- Notably, North America had slower growth at 0.5% for international markets.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, emphasized the economic benefits of this growth but also noted the risks of an upcoming capacity crunch in some regions, stressing the need for strategic government support to ensure sustainable industry expansion. Airlines are investing in sustainable technologies aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050, but increased airport and air traffic capacity will be essential to meet future demands.
Read the full market analysis for September 2024 here.
