The Hindu Business Line : `Global air passenger traffic at new high'

Global air passenger traffic carried on scheduled services in 2005 exceeded two billion for the first time, up from more than 1.8 billion carried in 2004, according to preliminary estimates arrived at by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and published in ICAO Journal.

In 2005, world airline traffic grew by about 5.5 per cent over 2004. Tonne-kilometres performed on total scheduled services, both domestic and international, went up from 4,59,000 million in 2004 to 4,85,500 million in 2005. A tonne-kilometre is a combined measure of passenger, freight and mail traffic that also takes into account the distance flown.

According to the ICAO Journal, in 2005, there was a 7.5 per cent increase in passenger-kilometres performed on total scheduled services, while international passenger-kilometres performed went up by 8.5 per cent compared to 2004.

Seating capacity

With aircraft seating capacity rising in 2005 (but at a slower pace than the previous year) the average passenger load factor stood at 75 per cent in both total traffic and in international services. In 2004, the average passenger load factor for total services was 73 per cent for total services and 74 per cent on international services.

In 2005, scheduled freight tonne-kilometres performed showed little change over 2004. Both total and international freight tonne-kilometres performed grew by one per cent. As such, global freight traffic on scheduled air services stood at 38 million tonnes in 2005.

According to ICAO Journal, on a regional basis, airlines in West Asia experienced strong traffic growth, followed by airlines in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa.