The global airlines association on Thursday reported an increase of 6.8 percent in international passenger traffic for May this year, compared to the like period of 2010. 

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the positive passenger growth in May has helped in reducing pressure on profits in the high fuel prices environment, but freight segment has continued to be in a slump, with a downfall of 4 percent. 

"This (passenger traffic) is 4 percent higher than the beginning of the year, whereas freight traffic has showed a drop of 4 percent against the post-recession peak of the re-stocking cycle in May 2010," IATA said in a statement. 

Domestic air traffic demand in India grew by around 14 per cent with the airlines enjoying an average load factor of almost 79 per cent in May compared to last year, even as the global traffic rose by 6.8 per cent. 

"India's domestic demand was 13.8 per cent above previous-year's levels against a capacity expansion 19.9 per cent. The load factor of 78.3 per cent is consistent with the global average of 79.4," global airlines body International Air Transport Association (IATA) said in its latest report. While the May results showed a 6.8 per cent rise in global passenger traffic over May 2010, this was four per cent higher than the beginning of the year. 

"We saw positive developments for the air transport volumes in May. But there are risks associated with political unrest in the Middle East and the European currency crisis," IATA chief Giovanni Bisignani said.

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