Global passenger traffic hit an all-time high in February, even though US airlines saw a drop in demand.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), total demand, which is measured in revenue passenger kilometres, was up 2.6% compared to February 2024.
Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometres, was up 2% year-on-year.
International demand rose 5.6% compared to February 2024, with total capacity up 4.5%.
However, North American airlines saw a 1.5% fall in international demand, with capacity also decreasing by 3.2% year-on-year.
There was also a decline in domestic US traffic, dropping 4.2% compared to February 2024. Domestic capacity in the US also fell by 1.7% year-on-year.
IATA Director-General Willie Walsh said: “While traffic growth slowed in February, much of this can be explained by factors including the leap year, and lunar new year falling in January compared to February last year.
“February traffic hit an all-time high, and the number of scheduled flights is set to continue increasing in March and April.
“But we need to keep a close eye on developments in North America, which saw falls in both domestic and international traffic.”
