IATA reported that global passenger traffic in April increased 3.2% over the previous April.
IATA said that emerging markets are leading growth, but all regions reported year-over-year gains.
“Passenger demand continued to grow in April, extending the positive trend that has been developing since late 2012,” said Tony Tyler, IATA director general and CEO. “The increase, however, is concentrated in emerging markets.
“Airlines in Europe and North America reported a modest expansion compared to the strong growth seen in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. While economic developments in Europe and the U.S. certainly bear watching, most indicators continue to signal further expansion in air travel.”
U.S. traffic rose 1.1% in April compared with the previous April, but growth slowed from 3.1% in March 2013. The timing of the Easter holiday was a factor (Easter was in March this year) but based on month-to-month trends, IATA said that demand is slowing, reflecting falls in business confidence.
April international passenger demand was up 3% compared to the year-ago period. Capacity rose 4.3% and load factor dipped 1 percentage point to 77.8%.
North American airlines’ international traffic shrank 0.5% in April. It was the only region to experience a contraction in traffic growth.
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