IATA has reported that in January 2023, global air traffic, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK),
increased by
67% when compared to January 2022, and is now at 84.2% of January 2019
levels.
Domestic traffic in January 2023 rose 32.7%
compared to the the same month last year, helped by the lifting of the
zero-COVID policy in China. Total January 2023 domestic traffic
was at 97.4% of the January 2019 level.
International traffic climbed 104% versus
January 2022 with all markets recording strong growth, led by
carriers in the Asia-Pacific region. International RPKs reached
77% of January 2019 levels.
“Air travel demand is off to a very healthy start
in 2023. The rapid removal of COVID19 restrictions for Chinese
domestic and international travel bodes well for the continued
strong industry recovery from the pandemic throughout the year.
And, importantly, we have not seen the many economic and
geopolitical uncertainties of the day dampening demand for
travel,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
Asia-Pacific airlines posted a 376.3% increase in
January traffic compared to January 2022, by far the strongest
year-on-year rate among the regions, but off a very low base
when much of the region was still closed to travel. Capacity rose
167.1% and the load factor increased 36.6 percentage points to
83.3%, the highest among the regions.
European carriers saw a 60.6% traffic rise versus
January 2022. Capacity increased 30.1%, and load factor rose 14.2
percentage points to 75%.
Middle Eastern airlines’ January traffic rose
97.7% compared to January 2022, while capacity increased 45.9% and
load factor climbed 20.8 percentage points to 79.2%.
North American carriers reported an 82.4% traffic
increase in January with capacity jumping 37.3%,
and load factor climbing 19.7 percentage points to 79.6%.
Latin American airlines enjoyed a 46.8% traffic
increase compared to the same month in 2022. January capacity
climbed 34.3% and the load factor rose 7.1 percentage points to 82.7%,
the second highest among the regions.
African airlines’ traffic rose 124.8% in January
2023, capacity was up 82.5% and the load
factor climbed 13.9 percentage points to 73.7%, the lowest among
regions.
Australia’s domestic traffic rose 107.3% in
January compared to the same month last year and now stands at 88.8% of
pre-pandemic levels.
China’s domestic RPKs rose 37.2% in January, the
first month-on-month annual increase since August 2022 and is
now at 86.3% of January 2019 levels.
“With strong travel demand continuing through the
traditionally slower winter season in the Northern Hemisphere, the
stage is set for an even busier spring and summer. At a time when
many are just beginning to enjoy their newly restored travel
freedoms, it is especially disappointing to see the Dutch
government making plans to limit their movements by unilaterally
and unjustly reducing operations at Schiphol Airport,” said Walsh.
