In a statement yesterday, IATA said that industry heads were slightly more optimistic about the outlook for profits over the coming 12 months than they were in October’s survey. It said 31% of respondents reported an annual increase in operating costs in Q4 2016 (the highest proportion since July 2014). The IATA said nearly two-thirds of respondents reported lower passenger yields in Q4 2016 compared to the same period in 2015, underlining the challenging profitability environment. Meanwhile, airline employment activity increased for the eighth consecutive quarter in Q4 2016. IATA said half of the respondents expect to keep employment levels unchanged at current levels over the next 12 months.

Source: The Edge Markets January 19, 2017 23:07 UTC