Air Passenger Load Factor Hits Record High of 86.2% in August, IATA Reports
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has reported a new record in global air travel, with the passenger load factor (PLF) reaching 86.2% in August. This milestone reflects a growing demand for air travel, with airlines seeing fuller planes across the board.
IATA’s latest statistics reveal that the industry’s total Revenue Passenger-Kilometres (RPK) saw an 8.6% year-on-year growth, outpacing the 6.5% increase in Available Seat-Kilometres (ASK).
This steady growth resulted in the highest PLF recorded for August at 86.2%, a 1.7% increase from the same period last year. Year-to-date, the global PLF averaged 83%, 1.2 percentage points higher than in 2023.
The global aviation market saw varying levels of growth across regions. Africa, despite accounting for just 2.1% of the total air passenger market share, experienced robust growth with a 9.6% increase in RPK.
Meanwhile, Asia Pacific led the way with 13.4% year-on-year growth, followed by Europe at 7.8%, Latin America at 6.5%, and the Middle East at 5%. North America experienced the slowest growth at 4.8%.
When it comes to ASK, Africa saw a 6.7% rise, aligning with the increases in Asia Pacific and Europe, which recorded 8.7% and 7.3%, respectively. The Middle East and North America saw smaller gains of 5.9% and 2.4%, respectively.
Looking at the year-to-date figures, Africa’s RPK growth stands at 13.5%, slightly behind Asia Pacific, which leads with 19.4%. Latin America, the Middle East, and North America showed moderate growth rates at 8.7%, 11%, and 6.2%, respectively. Africa’s ASK growth reached 11.4%, with Asia Pacific once again leading at 14.5%.
In terms of PLF, Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America reported year-to-date growth, while Latin America and the Middle East experienced slight declines.
The strong demand for air travel is evident in the record-high PLF achieved in August, with regions like Africa and Asia Pacific showing particularly strong growth. These figures signal a continued recovery for the aviation industry, with passenger numbers rising and airlines filling more seats.
Source: Namibia Economist
