By Lise Alves, Senior Contributing Reporter
SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – Demand for domestic air transportation in Brazil grew for the second consecutive month in April, according to the Brazilian Airlines Association (ABEAR). Despite the increase by 3.2 percent from the same month last year, however, growth in is at its lowest level since February of 2013.
“The growth rhythm of air travel demand has fallen to half the 5.9 percent growth registered in March. In addition, current growth level of demand is the lowest in fifty months,” read the statement issued by the entity, associated companies Avianca, Azul, Gol and Latam.
Together, the four companies account for more than 99 percent of Brazil’s domestic market.
According to ABEAR the supply of seats increased by two percent in April, while the occupancy rate registered an 80.23 percent rate. In April 2017, the four companies transported 6.9 million passengers throughout Brazil.
During the first four months of the year, the accumulated domestic demand increased by 0.5 percent in relation to the same period of 2016 while supply of seats declined by 0.8 percent.
The demand for international flights offered by ABEAR’s associates increased by 17.4 percent in April of 2017 in relation to the same month of 2016. In the same period, supply of seats registered an expansion of 11.9 percent.
For the entity the atypical results are results from the instabilities of the political-economic framework currently present in the country which makes clear analyzes difficult and limits forecasts.
“This scenario should continue for the next few months. In March, the sector reached the end of the cycle of repeated demand declines that began in August 2015,” concludes ABEAR.