2020 worst year in history for air travel demand: IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced full-year global passenger traffic results for 2020 showing that demand (revenue passenger kilometres) fell by 65.9 per cent compared to the full year of 2019 — by far the sharpest traffic decline in aviation history. Besides, forward bookings have been falling sharply since late December.
International passenger demand in 2020 was 75.6 per cent below 2019 levels. Capacity measured in available seat kilometres declined 68.1 per cent and load factor fell 19.2 percentage points to 62.8 per cent. Domestic demand in 2020 was down 48.8 per cent compared to 2019.
Capacity contracted by 35.7 per cent and load factor dropped 17 percentage points to 66.6 per cent. December 2020 total traffic was 69.7 per cent below the same month in 2019, little improved from the 70.4 per cent contraction in November.
