Domestic air traffic in September “hit a new high” for the month as demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers, rose 28.3 percent year over year, representing a 5 percent increase over September 2019 levels, according to the International Air Transport Association. Domestic capacity for the month increased 28.2 percent.
International traffic in September increased 31.2 percent from a year prior and reached 93.1 percent of pre-pandemic levels. International capacity increased 29.2 percent. Total demand increased 30.1 percent for the month and reached 97.3 percent of 2019 levels. Total capacity increased 28.8 percent.
“The third quarter of 2023 ended on a high note, with record domestic passenger demand for the month of September and continued strong international traffic, IATA director general Willie Walsh said in a statement.
Despite the positive trends, “slowing domestic demand and ticket sales” could serve as potential headwinds in the industry’s recovery, according to IATA.
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China led domestic markets with triple-digit increases in both traffic and capacity; however, the numbers were measured against a low base in September 2022, when domestic travel restrictions were reintroduced in some Chinese provinces, according to IATA. Still, the traffic level exceeded September 2019 levels by 8.1 percent.
Japan, despite reporting a year-over-year demand increase of 19.9 percent, was the only domestic market to show a decline compared with 2019 levels, of 9.6 percent. After China, the United States showed the most post-pandemic growth in demand at 6.1 percent.
Internationally, all regions posted double-digit increases in demand as well as capacity for September, with Asia-Pacific again with the highest gains, although it lagged September 2019 levels by 20.3 percent. Nearly all of the reporting regions also still are below pre-pandemic capacity levels, except for the United States, which is up 2.4 percent.
“With the end of 2023 fast approaching, we can look back on a year of strong recovery in demand as passengers took full advantage of their freedom to travel,” Walsh said. “There is every reason to believe that this momentum can be maintained in the New York, despite economic and political uncertainties in parts of the world.”
