Global air travel demand rose 4.6 percent year over year in
April, its slowest monthly growth rate in more than a year. That growth also
was lower than April's 4.9 percent increase in capacity, according to the
International Air Transport Association.
While demand rose for international air travel across all
regions and for domestic travel in most major markets, the overall pace was the
slowest since January 2015. While the terrorist attack at Brussels Airport was
one reason, long-term factors also are playing a role, IATA general director
and CEO Tony Tyler said. "The stimulus from lower oil prices appears to be
tapering off, and the global economic situation is subdued," he said.
"Demand is still growing, but we may be shifting down a gear."
In North America, year over year international air traffic increased
1.1 percent, which is greater than the 0.9 percent capacity growth. In Europe,
where the Brussels attack closed the airport for about two weeks, demand rose
1.8 percent, which was lower than the 2.4 percent capacity growth. Traffic for
Middle Eastern carriers went up 12.7 percent, the largest increase of any
global region. Capacity, however, was up 14.8 percent, pushing the load factor
down in the region.
Capacity growth also outpaced demand in both Asia/Pacific and
Africa in April. Asia/Pacific traffic was up 6.4 percent, as more available
direct airport connections offset slower economic growth in some of the
region's economies; capacity was up 6.8 percent. African airlines, meanwhile,
are expanding long-haul networks and pushed the region's capacity up 11.1
percent year over year, which was higher than the 9.9 percent traffic growth
rate.
In Latin America, international demand and capacity growth nearly
matched, up 3.1 percent and 2.9 percent, respectively.
Global domestic air travel demand in April rose
4.1 percent year over year, and domestic capacity increased 3.8 percent. Brazil
was the only major domestic market where demand actually declined, by 12.1
percent.