Strong growth across the Asian economies is being credited with driving a surge in premium travel classes in the region, according to new research.
The survey from the International Aviation and Transport Association (IATA) showed a 24 percent increase in premium travel, business and first class, for the first quarter of 2010 compared with 2009. The global average was a 7.6 percent increase.
Economy class travel was also up over the same period, by 13.5 percent compared with a 7.4 percent global average.
By contrast, premium travel within Europe was down 3.1 percent compared with 2009 and although economy class travel was up by 4.4 percent, in North America the figures were up by 5.5 and 2.4 percent respectively.
IATA said the research suggested strongly “that growth in both seat classes are being driven by business travel, rather than leisure”.
Among the biggest growth routes, were between the Far East and the Middle East (29 percent) the Far East and Africa (24 percent). European traffic with the Far East was up 11.5 percent.
For more information, www.iata.org
Kenny Coyle
