Global air travel demand increased 6.8 percent
year over year in March. That's slower growth than in February but still solid,
boosted by low fares and improving global economic conditions, according to the
International Air Transport Association. Global air capacity rose 6.1 percent,
pushing load factor up a half a percentage point to 80.4 percent, a March
record. "The price of air travel has fallen by around 10 percent in real
terms over the past year, and that has contributed to record load
factors," IATA director general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said. He added
that effects from the U.S.
and U.K. laptop bans could show up in April results. On international
routes, global demand rose 6.4 percent year over year in March, and capacity
increased 6.1 percent. Global domestic air travel demand grew 7.6 percent. That
rate is higher than the 6.1 percent growth in domestic capacity.