August global air demand as measured in revenue passenger kilometers fell 56 percent compared with its pre-pandemic level in 2019, according to the International Air Transport Association, comparatively worse than a 53 percent fall in July. IATA in a statement blamed "concerns over the [Covid-19] delta variant on domestic travel" for the slowdown.
August 2021 capacity as measured in available seat kilometers dropped 46.2 percent from the August 2019 level. Load factor was down 15.6 percentage points to 70 percent.
August crossborder demand fell 68.8 percent from August 2019, comparatively better than the 73.1 percent decline in July. International demand improved in all regions, according to IATA, which attributed the gains to "growing vaccination rates and less stringent international travel restrictions in some regions." August crossborder capacity was down 59 percent from August 2019, and load factor fell 20.4 percentage points to 65.3 percent.
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On the other hand, August domestic demand was down 32.2 percent from August 2019, much worse than the 16.1 percent decline in July. Domestic demand and capacity in China in particular deteriorated significantly from July to August. U.S. domestic demand in August declined 13.2 percent from August 2019. Capacity fell 7.1 percent during the same period. Load factor fell 5.7 percentage points to 80.9 percent.
IATA director general Willie Walsh in a statement said "September bookings indicate a deterioration in international recovery. That’s bad news heading into the traditionally slower fourth quarter."
While Walsh called the U.S. government's plan to lift entry restrictions on vaccinated foreign travelers in November "very good news [that] will bring certainty to a key market," he noted the continuing damaging effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on global air demand.
"For governments that should send two messages," according to Walsh. "The first is that this is not the time to step away from continuing support of the industry, both financial and regulatory. The second is the need to apply a risk-based approach to managing borders—as passengers are already doing in making their travel decisions."