Passenger flights up again in July

(AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI)

International air travel was up by 9.2 percent in July, according to figures released August 25.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said that adjusted for seasonality, growth in air travel was faster month to month in July than it was in June and demand is now higher than the pre-economic crisis levels of early 2008.

Latin American carriers posted particularly strong growth and saw 14.2 percent increase in passengers, said IATA, followed by African airlines which posted 13 percent growth.

The booming Middle East saw a 12.8 percent rise, while Asia-Pacific carriers were up 10.9 percent.

North American and European carriers showed weaker growth, up 7.9 percent and 6.2 percent respectively in July, something that IATA attributed to fragile consumer confidence affecting leisure markets.

IATA boss Giovanni Bisignani said that "further growth will be largely determined by consumer spending which remains weak."

http://www.iata.org