First quarter ends on strong note for passenger traffic – IATA
NAN-H-15
Traffic
By Adekunle Williams and Solomon Asowata
Lagos, May 4, 2017 (NAN) The International Air Transport Association (IATA) says global passenger traffic demand in March 2017 rose by 6.8 per cent compared to the same month a year ago.
The Geneva-based apex aviation body made the announcement in a statement signed by its Director-General, Mr Alexandre de Juniac and obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday.
De Juniac said capacity grew by 6.1 per cent, while load factor climbed by half a percentage point to 80.4 per cent, which was a record for the month.
He said March demand growth represented a moderate slowdown relative to performance in February after adjusting for the distortion in the year-to-year comparisons owing to the extra day in February 2016.
“The imposition of the ban on large electronics in the cabin on certain routes to the U.S. and UK occurred too late in March to have an effect on traffic figures.
“Strong traffic demand continued throughout the first quarter, supported by a combination of lower fares and a broad-based upturn in global economic conditions.
“The price of air travel has fallen by around 10 per cent in real terms over the past year and that has contributed to record load factors.
“We will have to wait another month to see the impact of the laptop ban on demand,’’ De Juniac said.
According to him, African airlines will continue to enjoy good demand with traffic up 6.0 per cent compared to March 2016.
He said that capacity rose 2.4 per cent and load factor strengthened by 2.3 percentage points to 68.2 per cent.
“Notwithstanding fragility in the region’s biggest economies (Nigeria and South Africa), traffic growth has strengthened in recent months growing at an annualised pace of nearly 10 per cent since mid-2016.
“This pick-up reflects a combination of faster growth on the key market to and from Europe and also between Africa and the Middle East,’’ IATA boss said.
While saying that the first quarter results were strong, he said the last weeks had been challenging to the passenger business.
“The laptop ban, implemented with next to no notice, no dialogue and no coordination, is testing public confidence in how governments and industry work together to keep flying secure.
“So, even as rumours persist that the ban will be expanded to other airports and regions.
“We are calling on governments to work with the industry to find alternatives – to keep flying secure without such great inconvenience to our passengers.’’ (NAN)
WAC/ASO/FF/TA
Edited by Fela Fashoro/Tajudeen Atitebi