The number of international airline passengers flying in premium classes in July grew 1.4 percent year over year,

according to the International Air Transport Association. The decline from June's year-over-year growth rate of 4.1 largely was attributed to the timing of Ramadan, which was earlier this year than in 2012. Absent the holiday shift, IATA estimated a worldwide growth rate of between 3 percent and 4 percent year over year. Premium passenger counts on North Atlantic routes were up 2.3 percent year over year in July, "stronger than 0.5 percent growth year-to-date."