Most
airlines still count on first- and business-class passengers to
boost their revenue, and new statistics from IATA show that many of
those airlines have reason for optimism: The growth rate for first-
and business-class traffic picked up in the fourth quarter of 2006.
IATA said there was
robust growth in premium traffic on routes from the Middle East,
within North America, within Africa and from the Far East to
Australasia.
The worldwide,
year-over-year increase in premium traffic in December, 5.9%, was
significantly higher than the 4.3% increase for all of 2006 and
marked the highest monthly increase since May.
IATA said the
December growth on so many routes is particularly encouraging
because it came during a holiday period usually focused on leisure
traffic. Furthermore, IATA said it expects good results for premium
traffic to continue.
Higher U.S. economic
growth than expected in recent months, combined with strong growth
in Asia and the Middle East, provides a positive momentum for
further premium traffic growth into 2007, IATA said in its Premium
Traffic Monitor for December, which the association released last
month.
Premium traffic
increases, however, have not been uniform across the
world.
Five main routes
account for 75% of all premium traffic: within Europe; North
Atlantic; within the Far East; Europe-Far East; and North and
Mid-Pacific.
Among those markets,
premium traffic for Europe-Far East routes grew the most, thanks in
part to strengthening trade links and Asias economic growth, IATA
said.
But premium traffic
on routes within Europe actually declined slightly while economy
traffic rose 7.4%, a dichotomy IATA attributed to strong
competition from no-frills airlines, even for business
traffic.