Premium travel demand still in the doldrums
GENEVA – Demand for first and business class tickets, accounting for nearly one-third of most airlines’ revenues, remains weak and an improvement in November was a blip, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said.
The number of passengers travelling on first or business class in November was 6.7 percent lower than a year earlier, less than the 9.3 percent decline in October, IATA said in its latest premium traffic monitor.
But this apparent improvement was entirely due to the slump in business travel a year earlier, and from month-to-month there was a slight fall in passenger numbers, it said.
“There has been a slight rise in premium travel in recent months, which is now around 5 percent higher than its May low point, but much of the upturn took place mid-year, since then there has been little further progress once seasonal fluctuations are taken into account,” IATA said.
“Premium travel numbers are still over 20 percent lower than early 2008 levels,” said IATA.
The industry body noted that economy travel was growing positively in year-on-year terms, rising 3.5 percent in November and just 4 percent below levels in early 2008.
Ian Jarrett
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