Airline traffic decline slows

IATA (International Air Transport Association) figures for May show a slowing down in the dramatic collapse in air travel which has dominated the airline scene over the last six months.  Passenger traffic declined 9.3% compared to the same month in the previous year while freight demand was down by 17.4%.  The average load factor stood at 71.2%, reduced from 74.5% recorded in May 2008.  Besides the economic factors May was the first full month to feel the impact of the Swine Flu outbreak.  Mexican carriers saw their traffic fall almost 40%.  European airlines, in addition to weak long haul routes, saw some loss of market share to European low cost carriers whose traffic grew by 2.1%, while the network operators reported a 9.4% decline. www.iata.org

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