IATA member raffic results for the first six months of 2007 reveal
a mixed picture, with passenger demand up 6.3% (ahead of the full-year
2006 figure of 5.9%), but freight lagging at +2.7% (well below the +4.6%
result for 2006). The Middle East led all regions, with passenger demand
growth of 17.8%, followed by Africa with +9.9%. Worryingly, IATA says
passenger demand growth in June weakened to 5.3%, the lowest growth rate
in nine months. With 1,800 new aircraft due to be delivered over the
next 18 months (10% of the existing fleet), capacity management will be
closely monitored, though load factors are holding up for now--75.7% for
the first half, up 0.6% over the same period the previous year.
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