Preliminary traffic figures for the month of July released today by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) showed that international air passenger demand continued to grow moderately, supported by business and leisure related travel.
The number of international passengers carried by the region’s airlines climbed 3.4 per cent higher year-on-year (YOY) to a combined 32.5 million, even as business sentiment continued to deteriorate in the face of rising headwinds to global growth.
Demand in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) rose by 2.7 per cent YOY, underscoring the relative strength of regional travel markets. A matching 2.7 per cent expansion in available seat capacity led to an average international passenger load factor of 82.4 per cent for the month, unchanged compared to the same month last year.
Commenting on the results, AAPA director general, Andrew Herdman said: “During the first seven months of the year, the number of international passengers carried by Asian airlines grew by 4.6% to a combined 219 million supported by the availability of competitive airfares and expanding networks. In addition, sustained expansion in major Asian emerging and developing economies fueled the appetite for international travel.”
Looking ahead, Herdman said: “The outlook for air passenger travel demand is still broadly positive, but with growth slowing, the region’s airlines are facing an increasingly challenging operating environment.”
