Speaking at the IATA Congress in Delhi Willie Walsh said airlines are experiencing the highest seat factors on record, with an average of 84pc for the year, indicating increased demand and limited availability.
High load factors mean that many customers are unable to travel to their desired destinations when they wish, as flights are often fully booked.
The previous all-time record load factor of 81.6pc in 2019 has been surpassed, showcasing the growth in demand and capacity constraints in the industry.
Achieving an average of 84pc load factor across a year, including off-peak and peak travel days, reflects an impressive accomplishment for the airline sector.
He said ongoing supply chain issues are the biggest cause of slowdown in the growth rate in the airline industry , impacting airlines’ ability to expand their networks.
Wilie Walsh shared: “obvious is that the rate of growth in the industry has slowed down as a result of the supply chain issues. That’s been witnessed through a number of things. The growth is lagging behind the demand and has done for some time, which means that there are airlines that are missing out on opportunities to expand their networks and provide new options for their customers. It’s led to the highest seat factors we’ve ever seen in the history of the industry.. We’re looking at load factors, seat factors in the order of 84pc this year. I didn’t think I would ever see load factors at that level, 84pc on average across 365 days it’s an incredible achievement.”
