Global passenger demand continues on moderate upward path

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced global passenger traffic results for September 2019 showing that demand (measured in revenue passenger kilometres or RPKs) climbed 3.8 percent compared to the same month last year, broadly unchanged from August’s performance.

Capacity (available seat kilometres or ASKs) increased by 3.3 percent, and load factor climbed 0.4 percent percentage point to 81.9 percent, which was a record for any September.

“September marked the eighth consecutive month of below-average demand growth. Given the environment of declining world trade activity and tariff wars, rising political and geopolitical tensions and a slowing global economy, it is difficult to see the trend reversing in the near term,” Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO said.

September international passenger demand rose 3.0 percent, compared to September 2018, which was a decline from 3.6 percent year-over-year growth achieved in August. All regions recorded traffic increases, led by airlines in North America. Capacity climbed 2.6 percent, and load factor edged up 0.3 percentage point to 81.6 percent.

European carriers experienced a 2.9 percent rise in September traffic, the region’s weakest performance this year and a decline from the 4.2 percent year-over-year rise recorded in August. In addition to slowing economic activity and faltering business confidence in many of the key European economies, the result was also affected by the demise of a number of airlines, along with pilot strikes. Capacity rose 2.5 percent, and load factor climbed 0.3 percentage point to 86.9 percent, which was the highest among regions.

Middle Eastern airlines posted a 1.8 percent traffic increase in September, which was a slowdown from a 2.9 percent rise in August. Capacity was up just 0.2 percent, with load factor climbing 1.2 percentage points to 75.2 percent. International traffic growth continues to be affected by a mix of structural challenges in some of the region’s large airlines, geopolitical risks and weaker business confidence in some countries.

African airlines’ traffic climbed 0.9 percent in September, a steep fall-off from the 4.1 percent growth recorded in August. Looking through the recent volatility in the numbers, however, traffic growth for the third quarter of 2019 remains solid at around 3 percent year-over-year. Capacity rose 2.5 percent, however, and load factor dipped 1.1 percentage points to 71.7 percent.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.