February global domestic traffic, as measured in revenue passenger kilometers, increased 25.2 percent year over year and was at 97.2 percent of February 2019 levels, according to the International Air Transport Association. International traffic was up 89.7 percent for the month and reached 77.5 percent of 2019 levels.
Total February global air traffic increased 55.5 percent versus a year prior and now is at 84.9 percent of February 2019 levels, a slight increase from January’s 84.2 percent. Global capacity, as measured in available seat kilometers, was up 35.7 percent year over year, while passenger load factor was up 9.9 percentage points to 77.8 percent.
“Despite the uncertain economic signals, demand for air travel continues to be strong across the global and particularly in the Asia-Pacific region,” IATA director general Willie Walsh said in a statement. “The industry is now just about 15 percent below 2019 levels of demand, and that gap is narrowing each month.”
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The Asia-Pacific region led year-over-year February increases for total and international demand, gaining 105.4 percent and 378.7 percent, respectively, maintaining the “very positive momentum” of the past few months since the lifting of travel restrictions in the region. It also led capacity growth internationally at 176.4 percent, while passenger load factor increased 34.9 percentage points to 82.5 percent.
North American total demand increased 25.1 percent with capacity up 19 percent and passenger load factor up 3.8 percentage points to 77.1 percent. International demand was up 67.4 percent, with capacity up 39.5 percent, while passenger load factor climbed 12.8 percentage points to 76.6 percent.
European total demand was up 44.1 percent and capacity 27.9 percent. Passenger load factor increased 8.5 percentage points to 75.2 percent, the lowest among the regions. International passenger load factors were higher in most regions than they were in 2019 except for North America and Europe, where capacity recovery has outpaced the growth in demand, according to IATA.
In domestic markets, Japan led the regions with February traffic up 161.4 percent year over year. India had the highest capacity growth at 50.4 percent. The United States was the only domestic market to show demand above February 2019 levels, by 0.7 percent.
