Passenger demand for air travel grew 30 per cent in May
after “hitting bottom” in April, according to the latest figures from the
International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Analysis show demand – measured in revenue passenger kilometres
or RPKs – plunged 94.3 per cent in April compared to the same month last year.
IATA said this rate of decline had never been seen in the history of its
traffic series, which dates back to 1990.
More recently, this figure rose by 30 per cent between the
low point on 21 April and 27 May, primarily in domestic markets. In South
Korea, China and Vietnam, for instance, flight levels have risen to a point
22-28 per cent lower than the previous year. According to IATA, while the
uptick is not significant on a global scale, it could be the first signal that
the aviation industry is at the start of what it believes will be a long road
to recovery.
Searches for air travel on Google are also on the rise – up 25
per cent by the end of May compared to the April low, though this increase is
from “a very low base” and still 60 per cent lower than the start of the year,
according to the data.
IATA’s director general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac
commented: “April was a disaster for aviation as air travel almost entirely
stopped. But April may also represent the nadir of the crisis. Flight numbers
are increasing. Countries are beginning to lift mobility restrictions. And business
confidence is showing improvement in key markets such as China, Germany and the
US. These are positive signs as we start to rebuild the industry from a
stand-still. The initial green shoots will take time – possibly years – to mature.”