Global air passenger traffic growth in August slowed to 5.1 percent year over year, according to the International Air Transport Association,

but when adjusting for seasonal factors, "passenger demand has been basically flat since June and with only a 1.2 percent expansion since January." International traffic growth in August (up 5.3 percent) was slightly stronger than domestic traffic (up 4.8 percent), but IATA nevertheless described international traffic growth as "weak." North American airlines during the month experienced international demand growth of 0.5 percent while Middle Eastern carriers saw a 16.7 percent jump in international demand. "Sluggish growth in the U.S., the continuing sovereign debt crisis in Europe and concerns over the slowdown in the Chinese economy are taking their toll on both business and consumer confidence," according to IATA, which also reported shrinking air freight volumes during August.