Based on IATA's Air Passenger Market Analysis from Dec 2024 the passenger load factors reach a new record; Europe and North America are highest.
Based on the growing demand and usage of capacities travelers might rethink booking strategies for flights because less open capacities before date of flight can be expected.
How do fellow travelers experience this ongoing change of flight market?
Closer monitoring. I usually have a handful of possibilities for a planned trip, I watch both the price and seats sold, or at least those blocked off. If the plane is filling, even if it is early, I might book. I also accept that with higher volumes will likely come fewer deals, and a creep up in prices.
From the article
In addition, all regions, except Europe and North America, saw
higher PLF than 2019.
"How do fellow travelers experience this ongoing change of flight market?"
Increase travel budget.
I watch both the price and seats sold, or at least those blocked off.
@Paul: how does one see seats sold or blocked off for a particular flight?
Mr É
Both regions still have the highest PLFs and these are higher than the 2023-Dec numbers.
And btw the sentence you mentioned seems not fitting to the numbers in chart 6 for Europe: it shows PLF Europe at 86.5% for "2024 - Dec" compared to 83.0% for "2019 - Dec".
Failure or other explanation?
PLF, GMP who knows. The last I heard was that Europe as a whole in 2024 did only slightly more tourism than pre-COVID. Sort of what the PLF thing shows ... maybe. But what the study summary doesnt describe are the hot spots. Spain and Portugal for instance. Then some areas are still not recovered, like parts of Eastern Europe and a lot of Europe is pretty much sitting where it was in 2019. Then there are the one-off things like the Jubilee in Italy. The the PLF is a factor of the amount of serivce to a location moreso than the popularity of a location and there is no way you or I can examine that, so all in all the article really isnt much of a tell for a tourist.
You want cheaper prices be flexible and stay away from the current hot spots. Montenegro instead of Croatia for instance. Airfare is only a part of the cost, you can offset it maybe with cheaper accommodation or by visiting an under discovered region; maybe go to Slovakia or Montenegro or Romania or Bosnia or Bulgaria this year as opposed to paying the prices in Germany or Austria for instance. Of course, whats a holiday if its not to the sort of place you want to see and will enjoy. Decisions, decisions, decisions.......
Abandon all forumulas as to when to buy plane tickets and just track the prices for a while and pounce when the number is reasonable for you.
Otherwise relax and have fun on holiday.
Update and thank you, Mr É.
The IATA was updating the document because I was asking with your help if the sentence you highlighted was a failure. And yes, it was. Update is uploaded already with new sentence:
"In addition, all regions, except North America, saw higher PLF than 2019."
More importantly, airlines have decided to stop chasing the cheapskate flyer and are going after those willing to buy regular coach or more importantly, premium econ or business. That's where the money is.
@Andy Scott
how does one see seats sold or blocked off for a particular flight?
Some airlines such as Delta will let you review the seatmap early on in the flight search process; while others require you to fill in passenger information first before you can view the seatmap (during seat selection step). Once I review the seatmap I just abandon the booking process.
Another option is to create a free user account on experflyer.com; which you can then search the seatmap for any flight that will show seats sold, blocked or available. Free account means there's a limit on how many flights you can search; or you can pay subscription for unlimited search.
More importantly, airlines have decided to stop chasing the cheapskate
flyer and are going after those willing to buy regular coach or more
importantly, premium econ or business.
How do you see that? Not arguing, just curious.
"Why Airlines Are Adding More Premium Seats Than Ever" -- simpleflying
https://simpleflying.com/airlines-adding-premium-seats-more-ever/
Simply put, more passengers are willing to pay more for premium seats; and they generate significantly higher profit margins for airlines ... a trend probably accelerated due to the pandemic.
I guess my travel days are numbered as travel once again becomes a luxury for the upper classes. Gone are my days of a basic economy ticket and a tin of sardines on the way to Europe.
One can always go via Basic Economy and using the night train option if one wants to dispense with a certain level of luxury, ie don't treat yourself.
I have never paid for any flight other than that in Basic Economy, although a few of these flights admittedly were certainly far less than satisfactory, ie couldn't wait for the 11 hr flight to end.
Basic economy is still an option. Not sure why you would think it's not.
That's good. But sounds like not many and they will sell out quickly!!!
There have been times when booking last minute, ie a month prior to dep SFO to Paris or FRA on United seat choices in Basic Economy were obviously limited. This was in the summer. The last couple of flights over and back (always United) I didn't bother with selecting a seat on-line, $37 each time, so I left it was up to the check-in person to choose a seat for me, saved 74 dollars.
Twice I lucked out by getting a seat in the very last row or the second to the last.
Like you, Me E my only choice and option is Basic Economy.
Fred, for 20 years things improved for the working class, now the pendulum is beginning its swing in the opposite direction.
Actually you want to be grateful for the fact that those seats in the front of the plane are there and cost money. Because that’s where the profit is for the airline. Airlines can’t afford to fly people to Europe for just a few hundred dollars. I realize that’s what we all want but it’s not reality. It’s a very expensive industry so if the airline can sell 48 business class seats at a couple of grand apiece that means that they don’t need to sell as many coach seats at $1000 each so they can offer some deals to cover their fixed cost and get you to Europe cheaper.
So both of us looking for cheap airfare should actually be grateful for this trend, because the truth is that expensive airfare is subsidizing the cheap airfare
I've realized for years that the $6000 business class ticket subsidized my $600 ticket. Now, if they would subtract the meal service and the in-flight entertainment and make it $500 that would be better.
But the current sentiment, outrage even, is that one must pay to get a specific seat or check a bag. If that outrage is successful then Basic Economy will disappear and I will have to fly like rich folk, but a lot less often.
Apparently RS once said it would be better if there were just one airline class .... If that ever happens I will not be able to afford much travel.
The whole gentrification of travel and pricing the poors out of travel is a bit tedious.
At least one travel writer has suggested that ancillary fees paid by economy passengers actually subsidize the perks enjoyed by business class passengers. I don't quite accept that proposition, about as much as I accept the proposition that business class subsidizes economy class. It's a bit telling that airlines like Allegiant, Frontier and Spirit only offer economy class while La Compagnie struggles as the one business class only airline. I think the reality is that airlines absolutely need the 2 or 3 classes of service they offer. There's not enough passengers willing to pay for business and the majority of the buying public is price sensitive.
I do think that Europe as a destination is transitioning from seasonal to all year travel.
This one expllination. https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2024/11/07/how-10-hour-flight-make-money/#:~:text=Revenue%20per%20square%20foot%3A%20Business,a%20cost%20to%20the%20airline
The plight of those less fortunate is genertally tedious for the others.
@ Mr E....Good that the working class is experiencing improvements, better than vice versa. However, with this improvement how many apply for a passport for the purpose of traveling in Europe, ie somewhere in Europe.?
Yes, I do think that United charging for a seat in Basic Economy is an outrage, which is the primary reason for my refusal the last 2 flights over and the return to SFO to pay this seat fee in Basic Economy.
I see it in 2 ways....1. deny myself the luxury of picking my seat, and 2. put up with the seat assigned non-stop for the next 11 hours.
It's been far enough in the past that I do not recall the source, but it said " coach pays the bills, biz/1st accounts for the profit"
