KUALA LUMPUR: Global air passenger demand rose by 3.3 per cent in March 2025, compared to the 2.7 per cent growth reported for February, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
In a statement today, IATA director general Willie Walsh said a capacity expansion of 5.3 per cent exceeded the increase in demand. As a result, the global load factor decreased from record highs to 80.7 per cent systemwide.
IATA reported that total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), increased by 3.3 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y), while capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), grew by 5.3 per cent.
"This resulted in a global load factor of 80.7 per cent, down 1.6 percentage points,” the association said.
International traffic climbed by 4.9 per cent compared to March 2024, with capacity increasing by 7.0 per cent.
The international load factor slipped by 1.7 percentage points to 79.9 per cent.
Asia-Pacific airlines recorded the highest growth among international markets, with a 9.9 per cent increase in demand. European carriers posted a 4.9 per cent rise, while Latin American airlines posted 7.7 per cent growth.
In contrast, Middle Eastern airlines experienced a 1.0 per cent drop in international traffic. North American carriers also reported a marginal decline of 0.1 per cent.
"The decline in the Middle East is likely related to the timing of Ramadan, which impacts travel patterns,” IATA noted.
On the domestic front, traffic increased by 0.9 per cent y-o-y, while capacity grew by 2.5 per cent. The domestic load factor fell by 1.3 percentage points to 82.0 per cent.
India posted the highest growth in domestic travel at 11.0 per cent, followed by Brazil (8.9 per cent) and Japan (8.0 per cent). In contrast, the United States and Australia recorded declines of 1.7 per cent and 1.2 per cent, respectively.
Walsh noted that while the slight decline in demand in North America warrants close monitoring, March’s figures continue to reflect a global trend of growth in air travel.
"That means the challenges associated with accommodating more people who need to travel, specifically alleviating supply chain problems and ensuring sufficient airport and air traffic management capacity, remain urgent,” he said. - Bernama
