- The region’s airlines witnessed a 3.4 percent year-on-year rise in demand in February.
- International carriers benefited from a “robust economic backdrop and solid business confidence.”
Dubai: Middle Eastern carriers experienced improved growth in passenger numbers in February, but lagged behind the growth witnessed by their international counterparts.
The region’s airlines witnessed a 3.4 percent year-on-year rise in demand in February, compared with just 0.5 percent in January, according to figures released on Thursday by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Such growth trailled all other world regions, with international carriers benefiting from a “robust economic backdrop and solid business confidence,” according to IATA’s director general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac.
The industry as a whole experienced 7.2 percent year-on-year growth in passenger growth, up from 4.4 percent in January. Demand in the latter month was impacted by temporary factors including the lunar new year holiday, IATA said.
Carriers in the Middle East have been impacted over the past year by factors including geopolitical uncertainty, and last year’s temporary ban on large electronic devices, as well as proposed travel bans to the US from some countries within the region.
Load factors for regional carriers fell 0.2 percent year-on-year, compared with a 0.9 percent rise for the industry as a whole. Regional capacity rose 3.9 percent, compared with 6.3 percent internationally.
Carriers in Latin America and registered the strongest passenger rises in February, with growth of 9.8 percent and 9.1 percent respectively.
“As expected, we saw a return to stronger demand growth in February, after the temporary slowdown in January,” said Mr.de Juniac.
“However, increases in fuel prices--and labor costs in some countries — likely will temper the amount of traffic stimulation from lower airfares this year.”
The region’s airlines witnessed a 3.4 percent year-on-year rise in demand in February, compared with just 0.5 percent in January, according to figures released on Thursday by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Such growth trailled all other world regions, with international carriers benefiting from a “robust economic backdrop and solid business confidence,” according to IATA’s director general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac.
The industry as a whole experienced 7.2 percent year-on-year growth in passenger growth, up from 4.4 percent in January. Demand in the latter month was impacted by temporary factors including the lunar new year holiday, IATA said.
Carriers in the Middle East have been impacted over the past year by factors including geopolitical uncertainty, and last year’s temporary ban on large electronic devices, as well as proposed travel bans to the US from some countries within the region.
Load factors for regional carriers fell 0.2 percent year-on-year, compared with a 0.9 percent rise for the industry as a whole. Regional capacity rose 3.9 percent, compared with 6.3 percent internationally.
Carriers in Latin America and registered the strongest passenger rises in February, with growth of 9.8 percent and 9.1 percent respectively.
“As expected, we saw a return to stronger demand growth in February, after the temporary slowdown in January,” said Mr.de Juniac.
“However, increases in fuel prices--and labor costs in some countries — likely will temper the amount of traffic stimulation from lower airfares this year.”
