IATA has announced global passenger traffic data for June showing that demand (measured in total revenue passenger kilometres) rose by 7.8% compared to last year. This was in line with the 7.7% growth recorded in May, with all regions reporting growth. June capacity (in available seat kilometers) increased by 6.5%, while load factors rose one percentage point to 81.9%. For the first 6 months of 2017, the industry experienced a 12-year high in traffic growth (7.9%) and a record first half load factor of 81%. “A brighter economic picture and lower airfares are keeping demand for travel strong. But as costs rise, this stimulus of lower fares is likely to fade. And uncertainties such as Brexit need to be watched carefully. Nonetheless, we still expect 2017 to see above-trend growth,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA DG. <br/>
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US airline carriers continue to face a bumpy ride in trying to overcome problems associated with chronic flight disruptions. In its latest report, the Bureau of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer report said the DoT received 1,605 customer complaints about airlines’ services, an increase of nearly 7.7% from 1,490 complaints received a year earlier. From January to June 2017, there were 9,026 consumer complaints, up 7.8% from the same period a year ago. According to the report, major US carriers cancelled 1.1% of their scheduled flights in June, compared with 1.0% the same time a year ago. The report also stated that airlines’ on-time travel rate in June fell to 76.2% in June, compared with 78% a year earlier. <br/>
A shortage of air traffic controllers at Pearson airport contributed to the cancellation of dozens of weekend flights and while new trainees are in the pipeline, it will be some time yet before they’re fully qualified to move metal. Staffing woes in the control tower coupled with thunderstorms Saturday slowed operations at Canada’s busiest airport and ultimately forced airlines to cancel flights, snarling travel plans for hundreds of passengers. And Sunday, in an operational bulletin, Nav Canada, the private operator of the air traffic control system, warned that staffing issues would probably hit again during the day, reducing capacity at Pearson to 44 arrivals an hour, down from more than 56 in good weather conditions. <br/>