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Date: 29 May 2008
Traffic Continues to Slow - Falling Load Factors Hurt Profitability
| Apr 2008 vs. Apr 2007 |
RPK Growth |
ASK Growth |
PLF |
FTK Growth |
ATK Growth |
| Africa |
-5.6% |
-8.7% |
70.3 |
-12.8% |
-9.9% |
| Asia/Pacific |
2.6% |
3.9% |
74.4 |
2.8% |
4.6% |
| Europe |
1.6% |
4.5% |
76.0 |
2.9% |
4.7% |
| Latin America |
4.0% |
4.7% |
71.4 |
-12.7% |
4.1% |
| Middle East |
11.0% |
13.0% |
74.2 |
15.8% |
13.6% |
| North America |
3.8% |
6.2% |
78.3 |
6.0% |
5.5% |
| Industry |
3.0% |
5.0% |
75.4 |
3.7% |
5.2% |
| YTD 2008 vs. YTD 2007 |
RPK Growth |
ASK Growth |
PLF |
FTK Growth |
ATK Growth |
| Africa |
-1.6% |
-4.0% |
69.7 |
-12.2% |
-6.0% |
| Asia/Pacific |
4.7% |
4.5% |
76.1 |
1.9% |
0.8% |
| Europe |
3.8% |
5.3% |
74.6 |
4.2% |
5.4% |
| Latin America |
17.5% |
15.8% |
74.2 |
-11.3% |
10.6% |
| Middle East |
12.4% |
13.4% |
74.7 |
16.4% |
14.4% |
| North America |
5.8% |
6.7% |
78.1 |
3.7% |
6.0% |
| Industry |
5.6% |
6.2% |
75.6 |
3.4% |
4.5% |
Notes for editors:
- IATA (International Air Transport Association) represents some 230 airlines comprising 93% of scheduled international air traffic.
- Explanation of measurement terms:
- RPK: Revenue Passenger Kilometres measures actual passenger traffic
- ASK: Available Seat Kilometres measures available passenger capacity
- PLF: Passenger Load Factor is % of ASKs used. In comparison of 2008 to 2007, PLF indicates point differential between the periods compared
- FTK: Freight Tonne Kilometres measures actual freight traffic
- ATK: Available Tonne Kilometres measures available total capacity (combined passenger and cargo)
- IATA statistics cover international scheduled air traffic; domestic traffic is not included.
- All figures are provisional and represent total reporting at time of publication plus estimates for missing data.
- The passenger load factor for April 2007 was originally reported as 76.3. This has been revised to 76.9. Comparisons with April 2007 in this release are based on this revised figure.
- International passenger traffic market shares by region in terms of RPK are: Europe 33.1%, Asia Pacific 32.9%, North America 18.8%, Middle East 8.5%, Latin America 4.6%, Africa 2.1%
- International freight traffic market shares by region in terms of FTK are: Asia Pacific 46.1%, Europe 25.9%, North America 17.2%, Middle East 7.4%, Latin America 2.2%, Africa 1.1%