Geneva: Total air passenger demand, as measured by revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), increased by 5.7 percent in November 2025 compared to the same month last year, while total capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), grew by 5.4 percent year-on-year.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported these figures, highlighting the ongoing trend of increasing passenger demand despite existing challenges in the aerospace supply chain.

IATA noted in a statement that November's load factor reached 83.7 percent, marking a record high for the month. This increase of 0.3 percentage points year-on-year indicates that airlines are effectively managing to meet the rising demand for air travel. However, IATA Director General Willie Walsh emphasized the need for the manufacturing sector to enhance production to address the backlog of over 17,000 aircraft orders, aiming for a resolution by 2026.

International RPK saw a robust growth of 7.7 percent in November year-over-year, with the international load factor achieving a record high of 84 percent. Despite this, the statement pointed out that growth experienced a slight decline compared to October 2025 across all regions except Africa.

Domestic RPK witnessed a 2.7 percent increase against November 2024, maintaining a steady load factor at 83.2 percent due to a corresponding 2.7 percent capacity expansion. The statement identified Brazil and India as the fastest-growing markets, while domestic US traffic experienced a decline, potentially linked to a government shutdown.

Asia-Pacific airlines achieved a notable 9.3 percent year-on-year increase in demand, with capacity rising by 8.7 percent. The region's load factor improved by 0.5 percentage points to 85.8 percent compared to November 2024. However, geopolitical tensions have caused a slowdown in traffic growth between China and Japan, reaching single-digit figures for the first time in 2025.

European carriers recorded a 6.8 percent year-on-year increase in demand, with capacity expanding by 6.1 percent. The load factor for European airlines increased by 0.5 percentage points, reaching 85.6 percent compared to November 2024.