International air travel soared last year with double-digit percentage increases in the number of passengers flying on Middle East airlines, the UN aviation agency said.

A total of 2.7 billion people flew in 2011, up 5.1 per cent from the previous year, according to preliminary figures published by Montreal-based International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

The Middle East saw the biggest uptick in international travel, up 11.9 per cent year over year in passenger-kilometres, followed by Europe at 9.5 per cent and Latin America at 9 per cent.

Both North America and the Asia-Pacific region, due largely to Japan's sluggish economy pushing down the average demand for flights in the region, posted growth of only 4.3 per cent.

China and other emerging markets, meanwhile, saw the biggest jump in demand for domestic air travel, while growth in demand for domestic flights in the US and European countries remained relatively low.

The total increase 'reflects the overall positive economic growth worldwide, despite multiple headwinds such as the implementation of fiscal austerity policies in key European economies,' the ICAO said in a statement.

Strong demand for air travel, it added, 'points to improved household balance sheets and robust business cash flows'.

The UN agency noted that the two largest airplane manufacturers Airbus and Boeing delivered 900 new jets in 2011 and received orders for an 'impressive' 2,000 more for the coming years.-TradeArabia News Service