Global air passenger demand grew by 13.8%, year-on-year, in March; new figures from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) show.
The research shows that demand for international flights surged 19%, while domestic flight demand was up by 6.6%.
“Demand for travel is strong. And there is every indication that this should continue into the peak Northern Summer travel season. It is critical that we have the capacity to meet this demand and ensure a hassle-free travel experience for passengers. That means making urgent progress to resolve supply chain issues and for airports and air traffic management to be fully staffed and operating at maximum efficiency. While airlines are prepared for customer care and assistance when operational issues arise, they are fed-up of bearing the cost when delays and cancellations are the result of poor preparation in other parts of the value chain,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
