International Airlines Group (IAG) has reported a gradual increase in its passenger numbers in July but travellers flying in Europe decreased.
British Airways’ parent company carried 10,739,000 passengers last month, up 0.9% on July 2016. There was a 5% increase in domestic travel in the UK, Spain, Ireland and Italy as well as a 5% increase on routes to Africa.
But the number of European passengers – its biggest market – was down 0.8%, from 6,121,000 last July to 6,069,000 this.
Asia pacific passengers were down 3.8% while the Latin American and Caribbean market was down 0.9%. North America was up 1.6% across the group, which also includes Vueling, Iberia, Aer Lingus and new airline LEVEL – for which it announced it would add three new aircraft for 2018 earlier this month.
The rise in domestic numbers could be in part down to Iberia having relaunched its Madrid-Barcelona air bridge shuttle, which has 26 daily frequencies between the Spanish cities, on July 19.