Addendum
China and Australia biggest beneficiaries of domestic market rebound
April 1st 2021
In China’s case it is the giant sprawl of the nation that has produced a near 100% rebound in domestic air traffic in a few short months. Read More »
Much further south and east, airlines serving the continent of Australia also are benefitting from the nation’s geography but on a less grand scale. At press time, Australians were storming back to air travel in numbers that are climbing very rapidly to 90% or above of pre-pandemic levels.
And unless there is setback in containing COVID-19 across Australia and New Zealand, it can only get better for the Pacific Rim carriers.
On April 19, the region’s first two-way air travel bubble, between Australia and New Zealand, came into force.
Citizens with the relevant health clearances are now making the trans-Tasman journey between the two countries without quarantining on arrival at their destinations. Tickets sales at carriers flying “the ditch” are outstripping available capacity.
In China, Air China, China Eastern Airlines (CEA) and China Southern Airlines (CSA) recorded triple digit increases in domestic passenger traffic for March compared with a year ago. Domestic load factor averaged 73% to 76%.
CEA reported the most impressive numbers with a 304.7% leap in domestic passengers for the month over March last year. Air China recorded a 176% improvement in demand over 12 months ago and CSA was up 122.4% compared with the same month last year.
