African airlines recorded a 12.4% year-on-year increase in international passenger demand for November 2024, marking a significant recovery in the continent’s air travel industry.
This surge in demand highlights the resilience and steady growth of African carriers as they continue to rebound from the global disruptions of previous years.
Capacity in the region grew by 6.0%, indicating that airlines responded to the increasing demand by either adding more flights or deploying larger aircraft.
The load factor the percentage of seats filled rose to 72.9%, up 4.1 percentage points compared to November 2023, reflecting the growing efficiency of African airlines in utilizing their available capacity.
The data was obtained from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) report for international passenger markets in November 2024, released in January 2025, which also highlighted broader trends in global aviation markets.
“African airlines saw a 12.4% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity was up 6.0% year-on-year. The load factor rose to 72.9% (+4.1 ppt compared to November 2023),” the IATA report read in part.
The global aviation sector recorded an 8.1% year-on-year increase in demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), in November 2024. Capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), rose 5.7%, while the load factor reached 83.4%, up 1.9 percentage points from November 2023—an all-time high for November.
International passenger demand grew 11.6% year-on-year, with capacity rising 8.6%.
The load factor for international routes improved to 83.4%, up 2.3 percentage points. This growth was primarily driven by strong performance from carriers in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.
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The IATA report highlighted the performance of international passenger markets across various regions for November 2024, showcasing strong growth in demand, capacity, and load factors.
- Asia-Pacific airlines led the global growth, recording a 19.9% year-on-year increase in international passenger demand. Capacity in the region rose by 16.2%, while the load factor improved to 84.9%, up 2.6 percentage points from November 2023.
- European carriers achieved a 9.4% year-on-year increase in international passenger demand. Capacity expanded by 7.1%, and the load factor reached 85.0%, marking a 1.8 percentage point improvement compared to November 2023.
- Middle Eastern airlines posted an 8.7% increase in international passenger demand. Capacity rose by 3.9%, and the load factor jumped to 81.0%, an increase of 3.6 percentage points from November 2023.
- North American carriers experienced a 4.2% year-on-year rise in international passenger demand. Capacity grew by 2.9%, and the load factor stood at 84.5%, up 1.1 percentage points compared to November 2023.
- Latin American airlines saw a 12.3% increase in international passenger demand. Capacity expanded by 10.7%, and the load factor improved to 85.1%, an increase of 1.3 percentage points from November 2023.
IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, noted that while November 2024 saw robust growth in air travel demand, supply chain issues in aircraft manufacturing continue to hinder airlines from fully meeting this demand. He emphasized the need for a swift resolution to these challenges to help airlines better serve passengers and modernize their operations.
