IATA Reports September Provides Solid Results To End Third Quarter

IATA is reporting that the strong post-pandemic passenger traffic trend continued in September.

Results include:

• Total traffic in September 2023 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) rose 30.1% compared to September 2022. Globally, traffic is now at 97.3% of pre-COVID levels.
• Domestic traffic hit a new high for the month of September, as traffic rose 28.3% versus September 2022 and exceeded the September 2019 level by 5.0%.
• International traffic climbed 31.2% compared to the same month a year ago. All markets saw double-digit percentage gains year on year. International RPKs reached 93.1% of September 2019 levels.

Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, said that: “The third quarter of 2023 ended on a high note, with record domestic passenger demand for the month of September and continued strong international traffic.”

Walsh continued: “With the end of 2023 fast approaching, we can look back on a year of strong recovery in demand as passengers took full advantage of their freedom to travel. There is every reason to believe that this momentum can be maintained in the New Year, despite economic and political uncertainties in parts of the world. But we need the whole value chain to be ready.”

Walsh pointed out that: “Supply chain issues in the aircraft manufacturing sector are unacceptable. They have held back the recovery and solutions must be found. The same holds true for infrastructure providers, particularly air navigation service providers. Equipment failures, staffing shortages and labor unrest made it impossible to deliver the flying experience our customers expect.”

And he concluded: “A successful 2024 needs the whole value chain to be fully prepared to handle the demand that is coming.”