Global passenger demand up 8.1 per cent in November 2024, driven by international markets, BA

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported a significant 8.1% increase in global passenger demand for November 2024 compared to the previous year. This growth is evident in both international and domestic travel, with international demand rising by 11.6% and domestic demand growing by 3.1%.

Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), increased by 5.7%, while the overall load factor rose to 83.4%, an all-time high for November.

Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, highlighted that while passenger demand continues to climb, the aviation sector faces ongoing challenges with the aircraft supply chain. “Capacity growth is lagging demand by 2.4 percentage points, and load factors are at record levels. Airlines are missing opportunities to improve service, modernize their products, and enhance environmental performance due to delayed aircraft deliveries,” he said.

Regionally, the Asia-Pacific market led the way with a 19.9% increase in demand, while Europe saw a 9.4% rise. Latin America and Africa also posted impressive gains, with demand rising by 11.4% and 12.4%, respectively. In contrast, the US domestic market saw a slight contraction of 2.7% year-on-year, continuing a trend of decelerating growth observed since mid-2024.

Despite these challenges, November marked another month of solid growth in air travel, underscoring the industry’s resilience and the growing demand for international connectivity. With global passenger numbers climbing, IATA calls for quicker solutions to the supply chain disruptions hampering further growth.