The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its latest analysis of the passenger air transport market for May 2025.
According to the data, African airlines experienced a 9.5 per cent year-on-year increase in demand, outpacing the global average. Capacity expanded by 6.2 per cent, resulting in a Passenger Load Factor (PLF) of 74.9 per cent, a 2.2 percentage point increase compared to May 2024.
Notably, the Africa-Asia international corridor recorded a remarkable 15.9 per cent growth, making it the world’s fastest-growing international route in May 2025. Although African airlines accounted for a relatively small 2.2 per cent of the total global passenger air travel market, their growth trajectory is promising.
Globally, the airline industry saw a 5.0 per cent year-on-year increase in demand and capacity, with an overall Passenger Load Factor of 83.4 per cent, a slight 0.1 percentage point decrease compared to the previous year.