ALTA Member Airlines Passenger Traffic Declines 1.1% in June Region Feels Effects of Puyehue Volcanic Eruptions

Miami, August 3, 2011 – The Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) announced that its member airlines carried 10.6 million passengers in June, down 1.1% from the previous year.

Traffic (RPK) grew 0.7% but capacity (ASK) declined 4.6%, raising the load factor to 73.7%, 3.9 percentage points higher than in June 2010.

“The decrease in June traffic is attributable to the effects of the recent volcanic eruption and also Mexicana’s cease of operations in August 2010,” says Alex de Gunten, Executive Director of ALTA. “The region maintains solid growth patterns and Latin America continues to be a top performer in global aviation.”

The number of passengers carried year-to-date (January to June) increased 4.5% versus the same period of the previous year, reaching 67.7 million passengers. During the aforementioned period traffic (RPK) rose 6.1%, capacity (ASK) increased 0.9%, and the passenger load factor reached 74.9%, 3.7 percentage points higher than the previous year.

Freight ton kilometers increased 1.0% in June and 4.6% year to date.