The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported a decrease in passenger demand for African airlines in July 2024, in contrast to carriers in other regions.
However, the association highlighted a year-on-year increase in demand for African airlines, rising by 7.4% compared to the same period in 2023.
Despite this positive annual growth, IATA noted that the capacity of African carriers also saw a 6.7% year-on-year rise.
The load factor among airlines in the region reached 74.3%, indicating a steady, if not extraordinary, performance amidst global aviation trends.
“Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), was up 8.0% compared to July 2023,” IATA stated. “Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), was up 7.4% year-on-year. The July load factor was 86.0%.
There was no significant negative demand impact from the CrowdStrike IT outage on 19 July. International demand rose 10.1% compared to July 2023.
Capacity was up 10.5% year-on-year and the load factor fell to 85.9%.”
IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, commented on the global aviation landscape, noting that July was a strong month for the industry overall, with passenger demand reaching an all-time high across most regions except Africa.
“July was another positive month. Passenger demand hit an all-time high for the industry and in all regions except Africa, despite significant disruption caused by the CrowdStrike IT outage,” Walsh said.
He emphasized the crucial role of aviation in connecting people and facilitating commerce, especially as the peak northern summer season came to an end.
“As the mix of travellers shift from leisure to business, aviation’s many roles are evident—reuniting families, enabling exploration, and powering commerce.
People need and want to fly. And they are doing that in great numbers. Load factors are at the practicable maximum,” Walsh added.
However, Walsh raised concerns over persistent supply chain issues that have made it challenging for airlines to meet the growing demand for air travel.
“There is an urgent call for manufacturers and suppliers to resolve their supply chain issues so that air travel remains accessible and affordable to all those who rely on it,” he concluded.
