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News / IATA: July passenger demand remains strong
Recovery in air travel continues to be strong
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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced passenger data for July 2022 showing that the recovery in air travel continues to be strong.
Note: We have returned to year-on-year traffic comparisons, instead of comparisons with the 2019 period, unless otherwise noted. Owing to the low traffic base in 2021, some markets will show very high year-on-year growth rates, even if the size of these markets is still significantly smaller than they were in 2019.
- Total traffic in July 2022 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) was up 58.8% compared to July 2021. Globally, traffic is now at 74.6% of pre-crisis levels
- Domestic traffic for July 2022 was up 4.1% compared to the year-ago period and is now driving the recovery. Total July 2022 domestic traffic was at 86.9% of the July 2019 level. China saw strong month-to-month improvement compared to June
- International traffic rose 150.6% versus July 2021. July 2022 international RPKs reached 67.9% of July 2019 levels. All markets reported strong growth, led by Asia-Pacific
Air Passenger Market in Detail - July 2022
JULY 2022 (% YEAR ON YEAR) | WORLD SHARE1 | RPK | ASK | PLF (%-PT)2 | PLF (LEVEL)3 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total Market | 100% | 58.8% | 37.3% | 11.3% | 83.5% |
Africa | 1.9% | 81.9% | 48.3% | 13.9% | 75.3% |
Asia Pacific | 27.5% | 47.5% | 28.1% | 10.0% | 76.4% |
Europe | 25.0% | 84.0% | 48.9% | 16.6% | 87.0% |
Latin America | 6.5% | 59.2% | 53.2% | 3.1% | 83.1% |
Middle East | 6.6% | 176.7% | 75.3% | 29.8% | 81.2% |
North America | 32.6% | 26.9% | 21.2% | 4.0% | 88.2% |
International Passenger Markets
Asia-Pacific airlines posted a 528.8% rise in July traffic compared to July 2021, the strongest year-over-year rate among the regions. Capacity rose 159.9% and the load factor was up 47.1 percentage points to 80.2%.
European carriers saw July traffic rise 115.6% versus July 2021. Capacity rose 64.3%, and load factor climbed 20.6 percentage points to 86.7%, second highest among the regions.
Middle Eastern airlines’ traffic climbed 193.1% in July compared to July 2021. July capacity rose 84.1% versus the year-ago period, and load factor climbed 30.5 percentage points to 82.0%.
North American carriers had a 129.2% traffic rise in July versus the 2021 period. Capacity rose 79.9%, and load factor climbed 19.4 percentage points to 90.3%, which was the highest among the regions for a second month.
Latin American airlines’ July traffic rose 119.4% compared to the same month in 2021. July capacity rose 92.3% and load factor increased 10.5 percentage points to 85.2%.
African airlines saw an 84.8% rise in July RPKs versus a year ago. July 2022 capacity was up 46.7% and load factor climbed 15.5 percentage points to 75.0%, the lowest among regions.
Domestic Passenger Markets
JULY 2022 (% YEAR O YEAR) | WORLD SHARE1 | RPK | ASK | PLF (%-PT)2 | PLF (LEVEL)3 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Domestic | 62.3% | 4.1% | 3.4% | 0.5% | 81.5% |
Dom. Australia | 0.8% | 239.7% | 106.6% | 33.7% | 86.0% |
Domestic Brazil | 1.9% | 24.2% | 28.1% | -2.5% | 80.4% |
Dom China P.R | 17.8% | -28.7% | -25.2% | -3.6% | 73.0% |
Domestic India | 2.2% | 97.8% | 72.4% | 9.8% | 76.4% |
Domestic Japan | 1.1% | 104.0% | 65.1% | 12.4% | 65.1% |
Domestic US | 25.6% | 0.7% | 2.1% | -1.2% | 87.1% |
Brazil’s domestic traffic rose 24.2% in July and have now reached pre-pandemic levels.
India’s domestic RPKs rose 97.8% in July and are now exceeding 81% of 2019 levels.
Air Passenger Market overview - July 2022
JULY 2022 VS SAME MONTH IN 2019 | WORLD SHARE1 | RPK | ASK | PLF (%-PT)2 | PLF (LEVEL)3 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total Market | 100% | -25.4% | -23.6% | -2.0% | 83.5% |
International | 37.7% | -32.1% | -32.0% | -0.2% | 85.0% |
Domestic | 62.3% | -13.1% | -8.1% | -4.7% | 81.5% |