The global representative body for the airline industry, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), has reported that total global air passenger demand in July increased by 0.2%, in year-on-year terms. If the Middle East was excluded, total demand rose by 1.2%. Total international demand, however, declined by -0.1%, although, again, the exclusion of the Middle East transformed the picture to growth of 1.5%. Domestic demand increased by 0.2%.

Total global passenger capacity rose by 0.3%, year-on-year, in July. The increase in international capacity was also 0.3%, while domestic capacity went up by 0.2%.

The total global load factor in July was 85.2%, which was a -0.1 percentage point decline, year-on-year. The international load factor was also 85.2%, a fall of -0.3 of a percentage point, while the domestic load factor came in at 85.3%, which was a 0.3 percentage point increase.

“The peak Northern summer travel season is a mostly positive story for air travel,” highlighted IATA senior VP sustainability and chief economist Marie Owens Thomsen. “Overall growth of 0.2% in July was achieved despite [year-on-year] collective declines by carriers in North America and the Middle East. Notably, traffic through the Gulf hubs continues on its recovery trajectory. Although high fuel costs, economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions continue, carriers are expressing confidence in demand for the last part of the year with an almost 3% expansion of seat capacity in September.”

In terms of IATA’s six regions, the one that saw the greatest increase in total passenger demand was Latin America and the Caribbean, at 6.1%, followed by Africa, at 5.2%. Then came Europe (2.1%) and the Asia-Pacific (1%). North America recorded a contraction of -1.2%, while the Middle East saw a fall of -10%.

Regarding international passenger demand, Latin America led the way in July, with a year-on-year increase of 7.1%, with Africa again next, at 6.4%, followed by Europe, at 3.1%. The other three regions all saw a decrease in demand, with that for the Asia-Pacific being -0.7%, followed by North America (-2.3%) and the Middle East (-9.5%).

Regarding domestic air travel, the six major markets – which collectively accounted for 79.4% of total domestic air travel – were Australia, Brazil, China, India, Japan, and the US. In July, the market with the greatest year-on-year growth was Brazil, at 6%, followed by China, at 5.3%, and Japan, at 0.9%. Australia and the US both saw contractions of -0.5%, while India experienced a decline of -6.3%.