September airfreight traffic drops 9%

Alan Peat
IN SEPTEMBER the aviation industry experienced a fall of 17% in passenger traffic, and 9% in freight (measured on a "revenue-tonne-kilometres" basis) on the international scheduled services of IATA (International Air Transport Association) airlines.
A monthly drop of this size has not been recorded for 10 years - since the Gulf war.
"Carriers were unable to adjust their seat supply quickly enough and the passenger load factor fell from 78% in August to 69% in September," said IATA.
Also, with the impact of the US attack, the aviation aftermath was airline traffic showing no growth in the first nine months of the year. Indeed, total traffic (passengers plus freight) fell by nearly 3% against a total capacity increase of 2%.
The airlines that were hardest hit were those registered in North America, with passenger and freight traffic falling more than 30% in September.
European and Far Eastern carriers experienced a 12% fall in overall passenger traffic. "But carriers with a high US component in their services fared worse."