PAX numbers top 2008 peak

July statistics

by ORIENT AVIATION 

November 1st 2012

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For Asia-Pacific carriers, demand for international air travel continued to expand in July. The number of passengers carried grew 4.2% to a combined total of 18.3 million, whilst demand in revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) increased 2.2%, compared to the same month last year. Read More »

The region’s relatively robust economies helped support demand for short and medium-haul travel in both business and consumer markets.  Careful management of capacity resulted in a 3% increase in available seat capacity, with a 0.6 percentage point fall in the average international passenger load factor (PLF) to 80.3% for the month.

During the first seven months of the year, the region’s carriers registered an 8.1% increase in the number of international passengers carried - an aggregate total of 119.8 million. Passenger volumes for the cumulative period have exceeded the previous peak achieved in 2008 by 19%.

Demand as measured in RPKs grew 6.6%, whilst available seat capacity rose by a slower 4.8%. This led to a 1.3 percentage point increase in the average international PLF to 77.9%.

FREIGHT

Demand for international air freight weakened further in July. This was reflected in the 5% fall in the international freight tonne kilometres (FTKs) of Asia-Pacific carriers compared to the same month last year.

The average international air freight load factor (FLF) fell marginally, by 0.2 percentage points to 67.1% in July, on a 4.8% decline in available freight capacity.

There was a 4.4% decline in international air cargo demand in the first seven months of the year, underpinned by continued weakness in key export markets. A comparatively slower decline in available freight capacity of 2.9%, led to a one percentage point fall in average international FLF for the region’s carriers to 66.3%.

AUGUST

Preliminary figures show Asia-Pacific airlines carried an aggregate total of 18.5 million international passengers in August, a 6.8% increase compared to the same month last year. This was led by relatively strong demand for regional travel.

International traffic, measured in RPKs, grew more modestly at 5.3%. Offered seat capacity expanded 3.5%, which resulted in a 1.4 percentage point increase in the average international PLF to 80.3% for the month.

Air freight markets remained depressed as a result of weakening consumer confidence in the major developed economies, which led to a corresponding slowdown in exports from Asia. 

International air freight demand, as expressed in FTKs, was 4.4% lower in August compared to the same month last year. Combined with a 4.1% reduction in offered freight capacity, the average international FLF was almost unchanged at 64.6%.

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This report was compiled by the Research and Statistics Department of the AAPA Secretariat.