International air traffic grew 5.6 percent year over year in
November, and global domestic traffic grew 6.4 percent, the International Air
Transport Association reported.
IATA noted “healthy demand despite some softening in
economic growth,” owing largely to lower fares. Over the first 10 months of
2015, average fares dropped 5 percent year over year, adjusted for currency
fluctuations. While November 2015's year-over-year traffic growth was lower
than October's, that largely owed to strikes at Lufthansa and to the end of
operations for Russian carrier Transaero, according to IATA.
In November, demand for international air travel increased
7.9 percent year over year in Asia/Pacific, 9.8 percent in the Middle East,
10.7 percent in Latin America and 12.2 percent in Africa. Demand growth in
North America (2.1 percent) and Europe (2.2 percent) was more modest.
Among major domestic markets, India turned in the
strongest demand growth, as traffic rose 25.1 percent, reflecting “notable
increases in service frequencies and ongoing economic strength,” according to
IATA. U.S. domestic demand increased 9.1 percent, and demand within China
increased 8.4 percent.