New data from OAG reveals that global passenger capacity has seen a slight reduction this month, settling at 555.2 million seats after a record-breaking July. This shift marks a notable moderation in the year-on-year growth rate, which has slowed to 2.6% from a recent trend of 3%.
The report highlights a mixed performance across different regions and key domestic markets. Central Asia and Africa continue to be strong growth drivers, with Central Asia leading the way with an impressive 22.2% increase compared to August 2024. Southern Africa, in particular, is a key contributor to the continent’s growth, with capacity up 9.4% year-on-year.
In contrast, North America and South Asia have seen growth stall. North America shows a marginal increase of just 0.1%, while South Asia has experienced a slight contraction of 0.7% in capacity this month.
Domestic markets present a similarly varied picture. While Indonesia, India, Japan, and the United States have all seen a decrease in domestic capacity, strong growth continues in other key markets. Canada’s domestic capacity is up 7.5%, Brazil has increased by 3.9%, and Australia shows a healthy 3.6% uptick compared to the same period last year.
Among the world’s top twenty airlines, the majority are adding capacity. However, some major carriers are trimming their schedules. Southwest Airlines has reduced its frequency by 3.2% year-on-year, and IndiGo has also cut back by 1.9%. Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines and LATAM Airlines Group are experiencing robust growth, with capacity up 8.3% and 6.3% respectively. American Airlines shows a very modest 0.3% increase in capacity.
