African airlines have achieved a remarkable feat, surpassing their counterparts in Europe, the Middle East, and worldwide in terms of total passenger traffic for June 2023.
Recent data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reveals that African carriers experienced a notable 34.7% increase in passenger traffic compared to the same period last year.
This growth places African airlines in the second-highest position globally in terms of percentage gains for the year, with only Asia-Pacific carriers exceeding them in year-to-date traffic increases.
Breaking down the numbers, Asia-Pacific airlines demonstrated an impressive 128.1% surge in traffic for June 2023 compared to the same month in 2022.
European carriers followed with a commendable 14.0% increase, while Middle Eastern airlines experienced a 29.2% rise in traffic compared to June of the previous year.
North American and Latin American airlines also showed significant growth, with traffic increasing by 23.3% and 25.8% respectively in June 2023.
On a global scale, the overall picture is positive, with total traffic for June 2023, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs), soaring by a remarkable 31.0% compared to the same period in 2022. This global growth trajectory has helped traffic rebound to 94.2% of the levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Moreover, the international travel segment has displayed substantial improvement, recording a 33.7% increase compared to June 2022. All markets exhibited robust growth, and international revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) rebounded to 88.2% of the levels recorded in June 2019.
