Air China said it flew 4.42 million domestic passengers in June, up 9.3% from 4.04 million in May. It was the second time in as many months the Chinese flag carrier has posted a month-on-month improvement in domestic travellers, following the 52.7% increase in May. Read More » Air China said in its monthly traffic report that domestic aviation demand had "gradually recovered" since the second quarter, with the coronavirus pandemic "under control". Nonetheless, the company said its operating results would be "significantly affected in the first half of 2020", given the impact of COVID-19.
In its monthly traffic report, China Eastern Airlines (CEA) said passengers travelling domestically rose 25%, to 5.17 million, in June, from 4.14 million in May. The numbers followed on from 56.4% in month-on-month growth in May. CEA said there was great uncertainty about the recovery of the international market due to the coronavirus pandemic. "It is expected that the operation results of the company for the first half of 2020 will be materially and adversely affected," the Shanghai-headquartered carrier said.
China Southern Airlines (CSA) has reported domestic aviation demand has "picked up since the second quarter", but overall demand for international aviation was recovering slowly given that the situation of the pandemic overseas was "still severe". The airline group said operating performance in the six months to June 30 would be "materially and adversely affected". CSA carried 7.08 million domestic passengers in June, up 21.5% from May, which recorded 51.9% month-on-month growth.
Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) said it had 59,000 passengers in June, up 69% from 35,000 passengers in May, but cautioned traveller traffic remained 99.1% below levels from a year earlier. While the resumption of transit/transfer traffic had helped improve passenger volumes in June, Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA) said in a statement on Friday, demand remained weak.
The U. S. Department of Transportation (DoT) said in an order published over the weekend it would no longer require Indian airlines to apply for prior approval to operate charter or repatriation flights. The order said "recent positive developments" in discussions with the Indian government about U.S. air carriers being able to fully utilise their charter rights in the U.S.-India market had led to the decision to remove the need for prior approval, issued on June 22, that was due to come into effect shortly.
India Minister for Civil Aviation, Hardeep Singh Puri, said late last week the country was establishing "air bubble arrangements" with France, Germany, the U.S., the United Arab Emirates and several other countries to "further expand our international civil aviation operations". The minister said on Twitter: "Under this arrangement airlines from the concerned countries will be able to operate flights from and to India along with Indian carriers. I have no doubt these will be beneficial for our citizens who are stressed and distressed abroad or those who want to fly out."
Singapore Changi Airport said passenger numbers almost doubled to 48,200 in June, compared with the 24,500 passengers that passed through its terminals in May. The airport's monthly traffic report said there was more activity on the airfield with flights rising to 4,780 in June, from 4,470 in May. Changi Airport began accepting transit passengers in June.
Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) state government has lowered the daily cap for international arrivals into Sydney Airport to 350 passengers a day, from 450 daily. NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, said yesterday the new cap would help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the state. "NSW is the gateway to Australia. It is important passengers returning home do not overrun the capacity of NSW Health and hotel quarantine," Berejiklian said in a statement. The previous cap included a restriction of no more than 50 passengers on each flight.
Sydney Airport reported today it handled 172,000 passengers in June. While the figures were down 94.9% from a year ago, they represented an 87% improvement from 92,000 in May. The month-on-month increase was underpinned by domestic travel as some restrictions were eased for travel within Australia in the month, but Sydney Airport said it expected to "continue to see significant reductions in passenger traffic for as long as domestic and international travel restrictions persist".
Qatar Airways said late last week it would resume nonstop flights between Doha and Guangzhou from July 26. The service is scheduled to operate once weekly on Sundays. Qatar Airways group CEO, Akbar Al Baker, said the resumption of Doha-Guangzhou passenger service would join existing passenger freighters, belly-hold cargo flights and freighters services, giving the airline 52 flights a week into China. The airline restarted its Doha-Bali service on July 1.
