In May 2024, Middle Eastern airlines experienced a significant increase in demand, with a 9.7 percent year-on-year growth. This growth surpassed the increase in capacity, resulting in a higher load factor of 80.7 percent compared to May 2023. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported that Asian routes to the Middle East were particularly strong, showing a 32 percent increase since 2019. Additionally, the Europe-Middle East route saw a two-year increase in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), reversing the trend of historic decline between these months.
Asia-Pacific airlines continued to lead in demand growth, with a 27 percent year-on-year increase in May 2024. With a 26 percent increase in capacity, they maintained a high load factor of 81.6 percent. This performance made Asian carriers the largest contributor to global growth in May, accounting for 42 percent of the year-on-year increase. European carriers also experienced a double-digit growth in demand at 11.7 percent, with capacity increasing by 11.3 percent year-on-year.
Total demand for air travel in May 2024, measured in RPKs, increased by 10.7 percent compared to the same period in 2023. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), also rose by 8.5 percent year-on-year. International demand experienced a substantial growth of 14.6 percent, with capacity increasing by 14.1 percent and the load factor improving to 82.8 percent. Domestic demand rose by 4.7 percent, with capacity seeing a slight increase and a higher load factor of 84.5 percent.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, emphasized the strong demand for travel in May, with airlines filling a record 83.4 percent of their seats. Ticket sales for early peak-season travel were up nearly 6 percent, indicating a continued growth trend. However, challenges in air navigation service provision were already evident, with significant air traffic control delays in Europe and the US. Walsh underscored the importance of efficient ANSP performance for both airlines and travelers.
Looking ahead, trends in air travel demand in the Middle East and globally may be influenced by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. As airlines work to ensure smooth journeys for travelers during the peak northern summer period, challenges remain in air navigation service provision. The IATA report highlighted the need for ANSPs to address unresolved challenges to meet the expectations of their airline customers and millions of travelers. The industry is focused on sustaining the current growth trend and delivering a seamless travel experience for passengers.
