Is there hope for premium traffic after all? IATA says decline may just have been “cyclical”

A strong resurgence in world trade has seen a direct correlation with the return of premium travel, according to IATA. This leads to a conclusion that the decline in premium traffic last year may not have been as terminal as many feared. Indeed, says Brian Pearce, IATA’s Chief Economist, instead of being a permanent structural change, the reduction may merely have reflected a normal – but very deep – cyclical downturn. But there is a lot in the numbers to cause caution about how they should be interpreted. [1016 words]

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This report contains the following subheadings:

• The premium traffic conundrum
• The premium markets – not mature, not short haul
• A more discretionary focus to premium in future?
• Other findings in the IATA Monitor

This report contains the following charts and tables:

• IATA total premium traffic growth: Jan-08 to Jan-2010
• IATA Middle East premium revenue share vs premium traffic share: Jan-08 to Jan-2010
• Passenger traffic growth by fare type: Jan-2007 to Jan-2010