Premium traffic up 8.1% in Jan-2011: IATA

IATA reports (16-Mar-2011) the following premium traffic growth highlights by region in Jan-2011:

• Total international: +8.1% year-on-year;
  • Within Africa: +19.1%;
  • Within Far East: +15.4%;
  • Within Middle East: +10.9%;
  • Within North America: -8.3%;
  • Within Southwest Pacific: -7.5%;
  • Within Europe: +5.0%. [more]

IATA: "Japan has been a relatively slow growth mature economy in the Asia Pacific region but premium travel is significant since Japan is still the third largest economy in the world (and was second largest until recently). Japanese markets represent 6-7% of the global total. It is too soon to judge how the Japanese earthquake and tsunami in March will affect air travel, but the market is large enough to have a materially adverse impact on the international total for that month," Source: IATA statement, 15-Mar-2011.