Yemisi Izuora
The International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) passenger traffic survey for November, has disclosed a 76.7 per cent drop in passenger traffic by airlines in Nigeria and other African countries amid a global slump in recovery.
The survey showed that the drop in traffic among African carriers was a little improvement from 77.2 per cent drop in October, yet the best performance among the regions.
The downturn is not unconnected with the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, second wave restriction measures and travellers’ apathy across the globe. In Nigeria, the situation is more pathetic with economic recession and a decline in the domestic fleet capacity of operating carriers at the end of 2020.
Globally, total demand was down 70.3 per cent compared to November 2019, virtually unchanged from the 70.6 per cent year-to-year decline recorded in October.
The November capacity was 58.6 per cent below previous year levels and load factor fell 23.0 percentage points to 58.0 per cent, which was a record low for the month.
International passenger demand in November was 88.3 per cent below November 2019, slightly worse than the 87.6 per cent year-to-year decline recorded in October. Capacity fell 77.4 per cent below previous year levels, and load factor dropped 38.7 percentage points to 41.5 per cent.
Europe was the main driver of the weakness as new lockdowns weighed on travel demand.
Recovery in domestic demand, which had been the relative bright spot, also stalled; with November domestic traffic down 41.0 per cent compared to the prior year (it stood at 41.1 per cent below the previous year’s level in October). Capacity was 27.1 per cent down on 2019 levels and the load factor dropped 15.7 percentage points to 66.6 per cent.
IATA’s Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Alexandre de Juniac, remarked the already tepid recovery in air travel demand came to a full stop in November.
“That’s because governments responded to new outbreaks with even more severe travel restrictions and quarantine measures. This is inefficient. Such measures increase hardship for millions. Vaccines offer the long-term solution.
“In the meantime, testing is the best way that we see to stop the spread of the virus and start economic recovery. How much more anguish do people need to go through job losses, mental stress—before governments will understand that?”
In the regions, Asia-Pacific airlines’ November traffic plunged 95 per cent compared to the year-ago period, which was barely changed from the 95.3 per cent decline in October.
The region continued to suffer from the steepest traffic declines for a fifth consecutive month. Capacity dropped 87.4 per cent and load factor sank 48.4 percentage points to 31.6 per cent, the lowest among regions.
European carriers saw an 87 per cent decline in traffic in November versus a year ago, worsened from an 83 per cent decline in October. Capacity withered 76.5 per cent and load factor fell by 37.4 percentage points to 46.6 per cent.
Middle Eastern airlines’ demand plummeted 86 per cent in November year-to-year, which was improved from an 86.9 per cent demand drop in October. Capacity fell 71 per cent, and load factor declined 37.9 percentage points to 35.3 per cent.
North American carriers had an 83 per cent traffic drop in November, versus an 87.8 per cent decline in October. Capacity dived 66.1 per cent, and load factor dropped 40.5 percentage points to 40.8 per cent.