Total air traffic in November 2022, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs), rose 41.3% compared to November 2021, said the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Globally, traffic was at 75.3% of November 2019 levels, signalling a continued recovery in the industry, it said.
In a statement on Tuesday (Jan 10), IATA said international traffic rose 85.2% in the month reviewed versus the same month in 2021, with Asia-Pacific continuing to report the strongest year-on-year results, with all regions showing improvement compared to the prior year.
The November 2022 international RPKs reached 73.7% of November 2019 levels, it said.
“Domestic traffic in November 2022 was up 3.4% compared to November 2021, with travel restrictions in China continuing to dampen the global result. Total domestic traffic in November 2022 was at 77.7% of the November 2019 level.”
IATA director general Willie Walsh said the traffic results in November reinforced that consumers were thoroughly enjoying the freedom to travel.
“Unfortunately, the reactions to China’s reopening of international travel in January remind us that many governments are still playing science politics when it comes to Covid-19 and travel.
“Epidemiologists, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and others have said that the reintroduction of testing for travellers from China can do little to contain a virus that is already present around the world.
“And China’s objections to these policy measures are compromised by their own pre-departure testing requirements for people travelling to China,” he said.
Walsh said governments should focus on using available tools to manage Covid-19 effectively — including improved therapeutics and vaccinations — rather than repeating policies that have failed time and again over the last three years.
