Global air passenger traffic falls by 79.8% in July: IATA

Global air passenger traffic was 79.8 per cent less in July this year compared to the corresponding period a year ago, airlines body IATA said on Tuesday.

"This was somewhat better than the 86.6% year-over-year decline recorded in June, primarily driven by domestic markets, most notably Russia and China," the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said in a statement.

Passenger traffic is measured in revenue passenger kilometres or RPKs, which is calculated by multiplying the number of passengers in a flight to the distance travelled by the flight.

“The crisis in demand continued with little respite in July. With essentially four in five air travellers staying home, the industry remains largely paralyzed," said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA's Director General and CEO.

The IATA represents some 290 airlines comprising 82 per cent of global air traffic.

De Juniac said, "Governments reopening and then closing borders or removing and then re-imposing quarantines do not give many consumers confidence to make travel plans, nor airlines to rebuild schedules."

Scheduled domestic passenger flights resumed in India on May 25 this year after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, airlines are allowed to operate only up to 45 per cent of their pre-Covid domestic flights.

Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in India since March 23 this year due to the pandemic. However, special international flights have been operating under the Vande Bharat Mission since May and under bilateral air bubble pacts formed with various countries since July.