Good news for all airlines. IATA recently published the results for the airline industry's annual activity. Total traffic in 2022 (measured in revenue passenger kilometres or RPKs) actually increased by 64.4 % compared with 2021. This represents 68.5 % of pre-pandemic levels (2019). In December 2022, air activity reached 76.91 % of the December 2019 level.
The recovery was strongest for international traffic. It rose by 152.7 % compared with 2021 and reached 62.2 % of 2019 levels. In December 2022, the number of international passengers reached 75.1 % of December 2019 levels. As for domestic traffic, it rose in 2022 to 79.6 % of the 2019 level..
Last year, total domestic passenger traffic expressed in RPK remained 20.4% below 2019, compared with a deficit of 37.8% for international passenger traffic..
Traffic recovery rates: Africa and Asia lag behind, the Americas lead the way
However, the speed with which air traffic recovered varied from continent to continent.
Asia-Pacific airlines recorded an increase of 363.3 % in international traffic over the full year 2022 compared with 2021This is still the highest year-on-year rate among the regions. Capacity increased by 129.9% and load factor climbed 37.3 points to 74.0%. However, measured in RPK, passenger traffic in 2022 will be 55,6% to 2019 traffic.
The traffic of European carriers in 2022 increased by 132.2% compared to 2021. Capacity rose by 84.0 %, and load factor increased by 16.7 points to 80.6 %. Passenger activity in RPK was still down by 22,2% à 2019.
Middle East airlines have seen their traffic increase by 157.4 % in 2022 compared to 2021. Capacity increased by 73.8% and load factor climbed by 24.6 to 75.8%. However, Middle Eastern airlines carried 25,9% fewer RPK passengers than in 2019.
North American carriers have reported an increase in traffic of 130.2 % in 2022 compared with 2021.. Capacity increased by 71.3 % and load factor climbed 20.7 points to 80.8 %. North American airlines posted the best recovery rate in the industry, at only -11,3% RPK passenger figures for 2019.
Latin American airlines up 119.2 % in 2022. Annual capacity rose by 93.3 %, with a load factor up 9.7 points to 82.2 %, the highest of all the regions. They carried 14,2% fewer RPK passengers than in 2019.
Annual traffic on African airlines up 89.2 % in 2022 compared with the previous year. Capacity over 2022 increased by 51.0 % and load factor climbed by 14.5 percentage points to 71.7 %. This load factor remains the lowest of all the regions. In fact, African airlines have the worst recovery rate after Asia.. Passenger traffic in RPK remained down by 31,3% à 2019.
"The industry left 2022 in much better shape than it entered, as most governments lifted Covid-19 travel restrictions during the year and people benefited from the restoration of their freedom to travel. This momentum should continue in the new yeardespite the excessive reactions of certain governments to the reopening of China". said Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA.
