KUALA LUMPUR (July 8): Global passenger traffic results for May showed that demand (measured in revenue passenger kilometers, or RPKs) rose 4.6%, compared to the same month in 2015, which was the same level achieved in April, according to theInternational Air Transport Association (IATA).

In a statement yesterday, IATA said that capacity climbed 5.5%, which pushed the average load factor down 0.7 percentage points to 78.7%.

It said demand for domestic traffic rose 5.1%, outpacing international demand growth of 4.3%.

IATA director general and CEO Tony Tyler said that after a very strong start to the year, demand growth was slipping back toward more historic levels.

“A combination of factors are likely behind this more moderated pace of demand growth.

“These include continuing terrorist activity and the fragile state of the global economy.

“Neither bode well for travel demand. And the shocks of Istanbul and the economic fallout of the Brexit vote make it difficult to see an early uptick," he said.