KUALA LUMPUR: Total global traffic for air travel, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs), jumped 67.7 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) in August 2022, showing continued momentum in the air travel recovery, said International Air Transport Association (IATA).
"Globally, traffic is now at 73.7 per cent of pre-crisis levels,” it said in a statement today.
It said domestic traffic for August 2022 was up 26.5 per cent y-o-y, and total August 2022 domestic traffic was at 85.4 per cent of the August 2019 level.
On international traffic, the association said it soared 115.6 per cent versus August 2021 with airlines in Asia delivering the strongest year-over-year growth rates.
"August 2022 international RPKs reached 67.4 per cent of August 2019 levels,” it said.
Director general Willie Walsh said considering the prevailing economic uncertainties, travel demand is progressing well.
"And the removal or easing of travel restrictions at some key Asian destinations, including Japan, will certainly accelerate the recovery in Asia,” he said.
In a separate statement, IATA said global air cargo demand, which is measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTKs), fell 8.3 per cent y-o-y in August 2022.
However, it said, this was a slight improvement on the y-o-y decline of 9.7 per cent seen in July 2022, and an improvement from a contraction of 9.3 per cent in August 2021.
"Capacity was 6.3 per cent above August 2021 (+6.1 per cent for international operations). This is a significant expansion over the 3.6 per cent y-o-y increase in July,” it said.
Walsh said air cargo continues to demonstrate resilience. "Cargo volumes, while tracking below the exceptional performance of 2021, have been relatively stable in the face of economic uncertainties and geopolitical conflicts,” he added. - Bernama
