GENEVA (AFX) - The growth in international air travel slowed in October as high oil prices continued to dent consumer confidence, the International Air Transport Association said.
International passenger traffic grew by 6 pct last month compared to October 2004, marking the slowest single-month growth rate for 22 months, IATA said.
It was also below the 7.9 pct growth rate recorded over the first ten months of 2005, compared to the same period last year.
Freight traffic rose by just 1.1 pct in October and by 2.6 pct over the first ten months of 2005, well below the 13.4 pct growth recorded in 2004, IATA said.
The association groups 265 airlines worldwide.
Airlines were facing a fuel bill of 97 bln usd this year, more than double the amount two years ago, according to IATA Director General Giovanni Bisignani.
'Continued improvement in cost efficiency remains critical. This will become all the more urgent as the high price of oil broadens its impact on consumer confidence and production,' he added.
Many international airlines have added substantial fuel surcharges to air fares.
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