Global Air Travel Demand Soars 3.3 Percent in First Quarter
(MENAFN) Air passenger demand worldwide increased by 3.3% in the first quarter compared to the same period last year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which reported the figures on Wednesday.
Available air capacity, measured by seat kilometers, also grew by 5.3% during the same timeframe, the IATA added.
However, the load factor—an indicator of seat occupancy—fell to 80.7% in March, showing a 1.6 percentage point decrease from March 2024.
International air travel saw a 4.9% increase in demand, while domestic travel grew by a modest 0.9% year-over-year.
IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, commented, "There remains a lot of speculation around the potential impacts of tariffs and other economic headwinds on travel. "
"While the 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."
Walsh emphasized that addressing the challenges of accommodating more passengers—particularly resolving supply chain issues and ensuring adequate airport and air traffic management capacity—remains a critical priority.
In a separate announcement on Tuesday, the IATA revealed that air cargo demand rose by 4.4% in March, while cargo capacity, measured in available ton-kilometers, grew by 4.3%.
Walsh noted that the strong cargo volumes in March could be partially due to businesses rushing to meet the 2 April tariff deadline set by the Trump administration. "The uncertainty over how much of the 2 April proposals will be implemented may eventually weigh on trade," he added.
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