The 3 carriers operating from the Middle East - the fastest growing market in terms of capacity - are due to deliver an 11% increase in capacity for the region in April, said the UK-based Official Airlines Guide (OAG) in its monthly snapshot of airline activity.
Other carriers driving the region’s capacity growth are Qatar Airways and low-cost carriers Air Arabia and flyDubai.
The capacity growth forecast for the Middle East far exceeds the 5% global flight capacity growth expected in April.
The unprecedented capacity surge comes at a time when world airlines continue to adjust their schedules and capacity daily to meet fluctuating demand in the wake of Japan’s devastating earthquakes and tsunami.
The report showed that airlines around the world will provide 317.4 million seats to passengers during the month of April in 2011. “This figure is five per cent higher than at the same time in 2010, or 13.9 million more seats, and represents the highest capacity ever provided by the industry,” the OAG said in its April Frequency and Capacity Trend Statistics report.
Frequencies have also been rising, up 3%, or 80,653 more flights scheduled to operate worldwide in April 2011 compared to April 2010.
The Asia-Pacific region will be served with an extra 6.2 million seats by airlines during the month of April this year. Europe will see a 3% increase in the number of seats offered by budget carriers in April, compared with the same month last year.
“The fastest-growing market by volume of seats is to and from the Middle East, with an 11% increase in capacity year on year. However, political events in the region will likely have an effect on sustaining this level of scheduled capacity,” the report observed.
Source: Khaleej Times; UAE
