Air passenger traffic worldwide drops, but India scores

Even as air passenger traffic (APT) saw a decline of 0.8% internationally in November due to slow economic growth, industrial labour actions and bad weather, airlines in India not only braved the conditions but also came up trumps.

According to figures released by International Air Transport Association (IATA), India registered a 20% growth in APT in the month over October, when there had been an increase of 10% in APT worldwide.

“The [aviation] industry is shifting gears in the recovery [from recession] cycle. Growth is slowing towards normal historical levels in the 5-6% range. Relative weakness in developed markets is being offset by the momentum of economic expansion,” IATA director general and CEO Giovanni Bisignani said. Except for Africa, carriers in Europe, North America, Latin America, South Asia and Asia Pacific saw slow growth or decline in APT in November compared to October.

“The yearend holiday season has been tough for travellers and for airlines. Exceptionally adverse weather conditions in Europe and the US resulted in travel chaos. Passengers were inconvenienced. Airlines saw lost revenues and costs rise,” he said.