RBT: How will the world air transport market look like after the recent sudden oil’s raise in price? Anca Apahidean: International traffic data for August confirmed a continuing downturn: international passenger demand growth slowed to 1,3%, following disappointing growth of 1,9% in July. Passenger load factors fell to 79,2% a sharp drop-off from the 81% recorded during the same period last year as capacity growth outpaced demand.
RBT: How the situation looks like, at the national level?
A.A.: Sales of IATA travel agents on behalf or air carriers present in Romania through the IATA Billing Settlement Plan reached 212.000.000EUR for first half of 2008, which is 15% more than the same period of last year. A growth rate of 15% is unlikely to be sustainable in the medium term. IATA expects that international air passenger traffic to and from Romania will grow by 8,5% in 2009, slower than the previous year but still among the top ten fastest growing markets in the world. IATA’s passenger forecasts 7.000.000 international and domestic passengers flying to and from Romania in 2009. This means the Romanian market is expected to be the fastest growing in Europe and one of the top six fastest growing in the world.
