IATA reports air passenger demand grew in February

IATA is reporting that air passenger demand grew by 6.1% in February. Highlights of its newly released data include:

• Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 6.1% compared to February 2025. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), increased 5.6% year-on-year. The load factor was 81.4% (+0.3 ppt compared to February 2025), the highest February figure on record.
• International demand rose 5.9% compared to February 2025. Capacity was up 5.3% year-on-year, and the load factor was 80.5% (+0.5 ppt compared to February 2025).
• Domestic demand increased 6.3% compared to February 2025. Capacity increased 6.2% year-on-year. The load factor was 82.8% (+0.1 ppt compared to February 2025).

Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, said: “With an RPK expansion of 6.1%, February was a strong month, showing that the fundamentals for demand growth were in place for a positive year. However, without knowing the length and intensity of the war in the Middle East, it is impossible to quantify the full impact that it will have on airline prospects.”

Walsh continued: “But some things are already clear. Fuel costs have risen sharply. With tight capacity and thin margins, air fares are already rising. Capacity deployment is also adjusting, particularly for traffic to, from, or through the Middle East, or in areas where fuel supply is an issue. Capacity growth scheduled for March, for example, has eased to 3.3% from earlier predictions of more than 5%.”

Go to www.iata.org for more.