Global air passenger demand surged 7.1% year-over-year in October, signaling continued recovery in the aviation sector, according to new data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Wednesday.
IATA’s report also revealed that air passenger capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), increased by 6.1% compared to October 2023, reflecting airlines’ efforts to meet rising demand. As a result, the load factor, or the percentage of seats filled, rose to 83.9%, an increase of 0.8 percentage points from the previous year.
The growth was particularly strong in international travel, where demand jumped by 9.5% compared to October 2023. International capacity grew by 8.6%, leading to a load factor of 83.5%, up 0.6 percentage points.
Meanwhile, domestic air travel saw a more moderate 3.5% rise in demand, with a 2.0% increase in capacity and a load factor of 84.5%, marking a 1.2 percentage point increase year-on-year.
In a separate statement on Tuesday, IATA reported that air freight demand also continued to climb, increasing 9.8% year-on-year in October. This marked the 15th consecutive month of growth in global air cargo, underscoring a robust recovery in both passenger and freight markets.
“Continued strong and stable demand is good news, but just as important is the steady improvement in load factors. It shows what a great job the industry is doing in flying people more efficiently,” IATA director general Willie Walsh said.
Walsh also cautioned against potential efforts to impose taxes on passengers to curb emissions, stressing that such measures might not lead to reduced emissions if fewer passengers result in flights with lower occupancy.
“Politicians thinking of trying to tax passengers off planes to reduce emissions would do well to note this. Even if fewer people fly because taxes make it too expensive, it doesn’t automatically mean reduced emissions because the planes will still fly, just with fewer passengers. That would reverse decades hard won progress,” he pointed out.
“We need to see the planes full to generate the economic and social benefits of travel with the most minimal emissions possible,” Walsh emphasized.