Global air passenger traffic climbs in February, says IATA

ISTANBUL

The number of international air passengers rose by 2.6% in February compared to the same month last year, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced Monday.

According to the IATA, total global air passenger capacity increased by 2% year-on-year, with the industry’s load factor — a key measure of airline efficiency — reaching 81.1% for the month.

Domestic travel, however, saw a slight decline, with demand falling 1.9% year-on-year. Despite this, domestic load factors remained strong at 82.6%.

“February traffic hit an all-time high, and the number of scheduled flights is set to continue increasing in March and April,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general.

“We need to keep a close eye on developments in North America, which saw falls in both domestic and international traffic,” he added.