Global Passenger Traffic Demand Rises 7.4 Pct In March

KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 (Bernama) -- The global passenger traffic demand rose 7.4 per cent in March 2015 compared with the same month last year, driven by the residual effects of leisure travel from the Chinese New Year festival in February. The International Air Transport Association Director General and Chief Executive Officer Tony Tyler said passenger traffic in March remained healthy. "The timing of the Lunar New Year in mid-February contributed to the robust performance as holiday-related travel continued into early March. "We may, however, see a softening of demand in the second quarter. There are signs that regional trade activity in Asia-Pacific may be slowing and Eurozone economic weakness continues to disappoint," he said in a statement Wednesday. March capacity rose 5.6 per cent and load factor climbed 1.3 percentage points to 80.0 per cent. Domestic markets experienced stronger growth than international markets, but both performed well, he added. Asia-Pacific airlines recorded a 11.1 per cent increase in demand compared with March 2014, the strongest among the regions. -- BERNAMA