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Demand for air travel slows

Friday, 29 July 20113 min read

Demand for air travel is slowing slightly, according to figures released by the International Air Transport Association.

Passenger traffic in June was up 4.4% compared with the same period last month, but the annual rate of growth is close to 10%.

“Compared to May, both passenger and cargo markets contracted by about 1%,” said IATA’s director general and chief executive officer Tony Tyler.  “For passenger traffic, this is a speed bump in a gradual post-recesssion improvement.”

Airlines in Europe registered growth of 8.9% in June, compared with June 2010, with load factors of over 80%, the highest in the world.  IATA attributed this to a weak euro supported by a strong inbound travel trend and the growth of business travel.