Regional travel boosts PAX numbers

June statistics

by ORIENT AVIATION 

October 1st 2012

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Despite concerns about the health of the global economy, Asia-Pacific carriers experienced further growth in international passenger demand in June, which was underpinned by relatively strong regional travel. Read More »

The number of international passengers carried totalled 17 million, which reflected 8.5% growth when compared to the same month last year.  In revenue passenger kilometre (RPK) terms, demand increased 8.1%, whilst available seat capacity expanded 4.4%, which resulted in a 2.8 percentage point gain in the average international passenger load factor (PLF) to 80.2%.

The first half of the year saw an encouraging 8.7% increase in the number of international passengers carried by Asia-Pacific airlines to 100.9 million. RPKs grew 7.4%. The average international PLF increased by 1.6 percentage points to 77.5% on a 5.1% expansion in available seat capacity.

Freight

In June, the international freight load factors (FTK) of Asia-Pacific carriers declined 0.9% compared to the same month last year. Available freight capacity fell 1.6%, which led to a 0.5 percentage point increase in the average international air freight load factor (FLF) to 67.9%.

Demand for high value goods was weak due to soft European and U.S. consumer markets. This contributed to a 4.3% decline in international air cargo for Asia-Pacific airlines during the first half of the year.

Available freight capacity contracted by 2.6%, which resulted in a 1.2 percentage point fall in the average international FLF factor for the region’s carriers to 66.2%.

JULY

Preliminary figures showed that In aggregate, Asia-Pacific airlines carried 18.5 million international passengers in July, 4.9% more than in the same month last year. This was boosted by robust leisure travel demand.

Measured in RPK terms, international passenger traffic rose 3.2%, which reflected stronger growth on shorter regional routes. Offered seat capacity increased 3.5%, which resulted in an average international PLF of 80.6% for the month, a marginal decline of 0.3 percentage points.

International air cargo demand, expressed in FTKs, declined 5.1%, which reflected persistently weak export markets. Offered freight capacity fell 5%, which left the average international air FLF almost unchanged at 67.2%.

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