Total October air traffic as measured in revenue passenger kilometers increased 31.2 percent year over year, according to the International Air Transport Association. That total was 98.2 percent of 2019 levels, up from 97.3 percent in September. Total capacity was up 29.4 percent versus October 2022.
Domestic October traffic was up 33.7 percent compared with a year prior and was 4.8 percent above 2019 levels, a slight tick below last month's 5 percent. Domestic capacity was up 31.8 percent from October 2022. International traffic increased 29.7 percent year over year, and was 94.4 percent of 2019 levels, up from the 93.1 percent reported in September.
"October's strong result brings the industry ever closer to completing the post-pandemic traffic recovery," IATA director general Willie Walsh said in a statement. "Domestic markets remain above pre-Covid levels. International demand is recovering, but more slowly. In particular, Asia-Pacific carriers' international demand is 19.5 percent behind 2019. This could reflect the late lifting of Covid restrictions in parts of the region as well as commercial developments and political tensions."
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Despite Asia-Pacific's lag in traffic recovery versus other regions, it led total October air traffic growth rates with an increase of 90.9 percent year over year. it also led capacity growth with a 77.9 percent increase over the same period. North America had the lowest traffic growth rate at 10.5 percent year over year, coupled with a passenger load factor decline of 2.4 percentage points to 83.6 percent.
For domestic markets, China's October traffic grew 252.8 percent year over year, with capacity up 188.2 percent. Australia had the lowest growth rate for traffic at 7.5 percent compared with October 2022, while for capacity, Japan reported a decline of 2.3 percent while all other regions posted gains.
Internationally, Asia-Pacific again posted the highest growth rates year over year for both traffic and capacity, at 80.3 percent and 72.5 percent. Europe had the lowest traffic growth rate at 16.1 percent versus October 2022, as well as the lowest capacity increase at 14.5 percent.
"People assign a high value to the freedom to travel," Walsh said. "The strong demand we've seen all year confirms that. And aviation is committed to ensuring that people can continue to enjoy this freedom. To do that in the long-term, we must also meet our commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Last month, the Third Conference on Aviation Alternative Fuels agreed [to] a global framework to promote sustainable aviation fuel production with the aim that aviation fuel in 2030 is 5 percent less carbon intensive than fossil fuel used today. Now, governments need to support that target by immediately putting in place policies to stimulate SAF production. It bears repeating: Last year, every drop of SAF that was produced was purchased. The same thing will occur this year. But, with a few notable exceptions, governments are not living up to their obligations to ensure SAF is plentiful and affordable to support the industry's energy transition."
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