Passenger demand for air travel continued to grow in March, with both global and African markets posting a 3,3% year-on-year increase, according to the latest data released by IATA.
Measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), the growth in demand marked a slight uptick from the 2,6% increase recorded in February.
Total global capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), rose 5,3% year-on-year, while African airlines’ capacity increased by 3,5%.
The global industry’s load factor reached 80,7%, down 1,6 percentage points from March 2024.
African airlines’ load factor declined marginally to 70,1% (a 0,2 percentage point decrease).
IATA DG Willie Walsh said that there remains much speculation around the potential impacts of tariffs and other economic headwinds on travel, and while a small decline in demand in North America needs to be watched carefully, March numbers continued to show a global pattern of growth for air travel.
“That means the challenges associated with accommodating more people who need to travel – specifically alleviating supply chain problems and ensuring sufficient airport and air traffic management capacity – remain urgent,” said Walsh.
