Demand for air travel picks-up in August

Nairobi; Kenya: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) says global passenger traffic results for August showed a ‘slight pick-up’ in demand over the previous month.

IATA says total revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) increased 5.9 per cent compared to August 2013, above the 5.4 per cent year-over-year rise recorded in July.
“August was a good month right across the industry. All regions reported an expansion in demand for air travel and load factors were high, reflecting the fact that August is peak travel season in the Northern hemisphere. We should, however, keep an eye on potential downside risks,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s director general and CEO.

“European travel, for example, continues to show robust growth. The 6.1 per cent year-to-date expansion in demand reflects a solid step up from the 3.8 per cent growth recorded in 2013. But it remains to be determined how long the robust trend in passenger travel can continue.” —Philip Mwakio