Globally, total revenue passenger kilometres jumped 5.9 percent year-on-year, while available seat kilometres increased six percent with load factor standing at 83.7 percent.

Middle Eastern airlines reported the strongest growth, with traveller numbers soaring 13.1 percent compared to the same period in 2015.

Due to a capacity expansion of 15.5 percent, load factor fell 1.7 percentage points to 78.6 percent.

Commenting on the figures, Alexandre de Juniac, director general, IATA, noted, “Demand was stimulated by lower fares which, in turn, were supported by lower oil prices. And near record high load factors demonstrate that people want to travel.”